The Secret to Bistro Paul Bert’s Steak-Frites

My buddy Bertrand Auboyneau, the owner of Bistro Paul Bert, shared the essential ingredient in the cream sauce that kicks his consistently “the best in Paris” rated steak-frites up a notch at lunch today. If the top quality beef, heavy cream, butter and Cognac aren’t enough to win you over, it is the “Sarawak” pepper from Borneo Island in Malaysia that adds the ooo-hh in the aaa-hhh. Oh, and dipping the hot frites in the sauce? Yeah baby.

SERVES 4

Four 1/4-lb (250-g) thick beef filets

1 oz. (25-g) Sarawak peppercorns

5 tablespoons (75-g) butter

1/2 cup (100-ml) high-quality Cognac

1 2/3 cups (400-ml) heavy or double cream, 45% butterfat

PREPARATION

Crush the peppercorns using a pestle and mortor, and roll the fillets in the crushed pepper to coat them.

Place the butter in a pan over high heat, and when it begins to foam, sear the fillets on each side. Season with salt.

Deglaze with the Cognac, and flambé the contents of the pan.

Pour the cream into the pan, and continue cooking the meat (RARE!)

Remove it, and leave it to rest while the cream cooks until it reaches desired consistency.

Pour the sauce over the steak and serve with hot frites and a green salad.

Tags: Bertrand Auboyneau, best steak frites in paris, Bistro Paul Bert, paris bistro, pepper steak sauce, sarawak pepper, steak frites