Peppercorn sauce

  • Portion size: Serves 6
  • Prep time 5 min. Cook time 25 min
  • Difficulty: easy
Recipe by: Adam Byatt

Chef Adam Byatt shares his recipe for easy peppercorn sauce with brandy. Juicy steak with rich and creamy peppercorn sauce is the perfect partnership.

Adam says: “This is great made in the same pan used to sear the steak – the leftover juices add loads of flavour. Let the pan cool before you make the sauce.”

Loved this dish? Check out Adam’s incredible chicken curry.

adslot-recipe-1

Before you start

The flavour depends on the quality of your stock. Brown chicken stock is made with bones that have been roasted for a stronger flavour and dark colour.

lock
Join Extradelicious to unlock Cook Mode

Ingredients

  • Butter or vegetable oil (optional, see step 1)
  • 1 heaped tsp black peppercorns, roughly crushed
  • 2 large shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • 200ml brandy
  • 250ml brown chicken stock or beef stock (see Know-how)
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 250ml double cream
  • 20g green peppercorns from a jar, drained
adslot-recipe-3
lock
Join Extradelicious to unlock Cook Mode

Method

  1. There should be enough fat left in the pan if you’ve just cooked a steak, but add a little more butter or oil if it needs it. Add the crushed black peppercorns and toast over a low heat for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until softening. Add the garlic and cook gently for 30 seconds or so until you can smell it, then add the thyme.
  3. Add the brandy and, using a long match/lighter, carefully set it alight (see Know-how). Once the flames die down, let it bubble and reduce completely.
  4. Recipe continues after advertising adslot-recipe-4
  5. Add the stock, turn up the heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce by two thirds (about 8 minutes). Add the Worcestershire sauce and cream, turn the heat down and simmer genty for 5 minutes. Add the green peppercorns, then season to taste with salt.

Nutrition

  • 278kcals Calories
  • 21g (13g saturated) Fat
  • 1.9g Protein
  • 1.6g (1.5g sugars) Carbs
  • 0g Fibre
  • 0.3g Salt

Quick wins & tips

Adam’s tips “The base for my peppercorn sauce also makes a fantastic dijonnaise sauce with the simple addition of 50g dijon mustard.”

“You can also exchange the brandy for madeira and remove the peppercorns to turn it into a delightfully fruity madeira sauce. Both sauces go well with beef, pork or chicken, and madeira sauce is fabulous with a beautiful hunk of halibut.”

Cook smarter

Flambéing genuinely improves the flavour of this sauce. Just make sure your extractor fan is turned off and use a long match/lighter.

adslot-recipe-5

Rate and review

Rate

Leave a comment, question or tip

adslot-recipe-6