Ingredients:
2 tablespooons canola oil
3 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked (split on steaks and sauce)
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or onions
1/4 cup cognac or other brandy. I don’t keep brandy, but rather red wine.
1 cup beef broth, now this is where I diverge. I use a tsp of beef concentrate, then add more wine to make up the volume.
1/4 cup heavy cream, I use coffee cream
As to what steak you choose, up to you. This sauce will go nicely with what ever cut you choose. If I use a tougher cut, I will slice it thinly do a quick fry, and keep it warm while I make the sauce. I imagine you know how to cook your steak to the desired doneness. Cook your steak as desired, remove from pan and rest while you make the sauce.
Make the sauce: Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the brandy or wine, and as it boils, deglaze the pan.
Once the wine is almost cooked away, add the beef stock and turn the heat to high. Boil the sauce down until there’s a noticeable trail when you drag a wooden spoon.
Pour in the cream and resume boiling. Again, boil down until you can make that telltale trail from the wooden spoon.
Turn off the heat and add any remaining black pepper (no more than 1 Tbsp, the rest should have already been used to pepper the steaks). Taste for salt and add if needed.
Serve with your steak.