Steak au poivre in most urban areas. Steak au poivre Steak au poivre (, Quebec French pronunciation : ) or pepper steak is a French dish that consists of a steak, traditionally a filet mignon, coated with coarsely cracked peppercorns and then cooked. The peppercorns form a crust on the steak when cooked and provide a pungent but complementary counterpoint to the rich flavor of the high-quality beef. The peppercorn crust itself is made by placing the steak in a bed of cracked black (or mixed) peppercorns. Typically, the steak is seared in a hot skillet with a small amount of butter and
Steak au poivre seared at a high temperature to cook the outside quickly and form the crust while leaving the interior rare to medium-rare. The steak is then left to rest for several minutes and then served. "Steak au poivre" is often served with pan peppercorn sauce consisting of reduced cognac, heavy cream, and the fond from the bottom of the pan, often including other ingredients such as butter, shallots, and/or Dijon mustard. Common side dishes to "steak au poivre" are various forms of mashed potatoes and "pommes frites" (small fried shoestring potatoes). "Steak au poivre" may be found in traditional French restaurants