Steak au Poivre

Steak au Poivre

Founded by François Haeringer over 50 years ago, the original L’Auberge Chez François restaurant was only a few blocks from the White House. A native of Alsace, François was a pioneer in bringing French cuisine to post-war America. Francois’s son Jacques is continuing the tradition as Chef de Cuisine and owner of the restaurant in Great Falls, VA. His menus feature reinterpreted Alsatian and French cuisine for American palates and patrons of L’Auberge Chez François feel as if they have stepped back in time for a unique dining experience. 
Alsace-Lorraine has produced one of the world’s richest and most varied cuisines. It combines traditional French cooking with unique ingredients. For Alsatians, it is important that great food should be served in an intimate setting along with beautiful scenery. L’Auberge Chez François is located in a tranquil setting on six rolling green acres. The ambiance of the dining room is old-world charm; reminiscent of the little family inns - or "auberges" - that dot the Alsatian countryside.
According to Chef Jacques, “In 1954, there were only three French restaurants in Washington DC. My father was the first to offer complete meals to diners in a less formal atmosphere. His goal was to operate a restaurant with ‘a nice ambiance, good, honest food, at affordable prices.’”

About the chef: Chef Jacques is one of America’s most respected and innovative culinary personalities. Continuing in his father’s footsteps, Jacques loves to create and serve contemporary French fare. When he isn’t in the kitchen he can be found teaching his popular gourmet cooking classes and is often asked to author magazine articles, cook up recipes at culinary events, and to be a guest on television and radio shows across the country. 
Jacques is the author of “Two for Tonight,” a collection of recipes that inspire romance through food and togetherness, and the “Chez François Cookbook,” the bible of classic Alsatian cuisine featuring some of the restaurant’s most popular recipes. He lives in Northern Virginia and is currently working on a new cookbook and television show. 
“I was four years old when my father opened Chez François. French food and the restaurant business have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” says Chef Jacques. “I began working summers with my father at the restaurant when I was twelve, first as a bus boy, then as a salad maker, and later as a cook. I remember my father’s uncanny ability to be on hand whenever I made a mistake. It was under his sharp eyes that I first began to learn the trade.”
Sadly François Haeringer passed away just before Father’s Day this year, but Chef Jacques will continue his legacy by running the restaurant in the spirit of his father.

L’Auberge Chez François
332 Springvale Road 
Great Falls, VA 22066
703 759 3800

Steak au Poivre is served at L’Auberge Chez François for $67.00 per person and includes an appetizer course, house salad, sorbet, dessert and coffee as part of a prix fixe menu.

This recipe makes 2 restaurant servings.

Steak au Poivre Ingredients:
2 New York strip steaks, 12 ounces each
sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon coarsely ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Roquefort cheese

Ingredients for the Sauce:
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup *Basic Beef Sauce
1 teaspoon butter
Pinch of minced garlic
2 drops lemon juice
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Steak au Poivre:
Preheat the broiler. Lightly salt the steaks.
Combine the pepper and coriander. 
Using the heel of your hand, firmly press the mixture into both sides of each steak.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet. 
When the butter begins to brown, add the steaks and cook over moderately high heat until they are browned on both sides. 
Allow 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
Remove steaks and place on a platter, keeping them warm while you prepare the sauce.
Wipe out the saucepan in which the steaks were prepared. 
Then add the shallots, pepper, and wine, and place over high heat. 
Let the mixture reduce until it is almost dry. 
Add the Beef Sauce and bring to a boil. 
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter with a whisk. 
Add the garlic and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings.
When ready to serve, place 1 tablespoon of cheese, broken into four or five pieces, on top of each steak.
Place the steaks under the broiler until the cheese begins to melt. 
Remove the steaks from the broiler and pour the sauce around them. Serve at once.
(Please note: steaks can be grilled instead of in a skillet.)

*Basic Beef or Veal Sauce Ingredients:
Makes 1 quart
3 pounds veal or beef bones and meat
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
½ cup coarsely chopped carrots 
1 two-inch piece of celery
3 tablespoons flour
2-2 ½ quarts cold water
2 tablespoons tomato purée or 1 fresh tomato, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
Pinch of thyme
4 parsley sprigs, optional
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon butter

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Basic Beef or Veal Sauce Ingredients:
Using a meat cleaver, crack and cut the bones into small pieces. 
Place in a roasting pan and brown in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the partly browned bones and continue cooking until the vegetables are also well browned, approximately 15 more minutes.
Remove pan from oven and drain the fat. 
Dust the bones with the flour, return pan to the oven, and cook for 5 more minutes.
Transfer the bones and vegetables to a stockpot. 
Deglaze the roasting pan with 1 cup of the water, scraping any meat particles from the bottom. 
Cover bones with deglazing liquid and remaining water. 
Add tomato or tomato purée, herbs, and garlic.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2½-3 hours. Skim occasionally.
Strain into a bowl and discard solids; 2½-3 cups of stock should remain. 
Dot the top of the stock with the butter to prevent a skin from forming.
Hint: If a sauce is too thin, the easiest way to thicken it is with cornstarch. 
Place a small amount in a cup and stir in water, a few drops at a time, until a thick paste (the consistency of glue) is formed. Whisk a little into the simmering sauce and boil 2-3 minutes. 
Add more cornstarch until the desired consistency is reached. 

Copyright Chef Jacques Haeringer and L’Auberge Chez François.

The following nutritional analysis is for an approximate 6 oz. serving of steak - without sauce.

Nutritional information is provided by www.foodcalc.com

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