Veal Pepper Steak with Mushrooms and Cognac Demi

Ingredients

House Made Demi-Glace Quick Method
6 cups no sodium or low sodium beef stock
1 small onion chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 tsp whole black pepper
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt, to taste
Dash of Worcestershire
1 tsp potato starch
1 tsp cold water

Veal Pepper Steak
½ cup whole black peppercorns
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, chives, sage, dill, whatever you like)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp butter, melted
4 veal tenderloin medallions, cut about 1 ½ to 2 inches thick, about 5-6 oz each.

Cognac Mushroom Demi Sauce
7 tsp cold butter, divided
½ cup exotic mushrooms (morels, chanterelles, black trumpet, oyster, porcini)
1 plump clove garlic, minced
¼ cup finely diced shallot
1 oz Cognac or Brandy or Armagnac
¾ cup demi-glace
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste

Instructions

House Made Demi-Glace Quick Method
Pour the beef stock into a medium-large sized sauce pot. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, black pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes until the volume is reduced by 1/3. Strain and return stock to stove and return to a boil. Boil vigorously for 20 minutes until the liquid is reduced again by 1/3. Reduce heat to simmer. Season to taste with a little salt and a dash of Worcestershire.

Dissolve the potato starch in a little water and stir until there are no lumps. Add to simmering stock reduction, return to a boil to allow the sauce to thicken. Strain and set aside You should have approximately 1 cup of demi-glace.

Veal Pepper Steak
Place the peppercorns onto a cutting board and using a heavy bottomed fry pan crack the peppercorns by pressing and sliding the pan on top of the peppercorns to crack. This will give you larger coarser pieces of black pepper. Add chopped fresh herbs and 2 tsp kosher salt, mix well. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the Dijon mustard and melted butter. Brush the veal tenderloins all over with the Dijon mustard butter mixture. Roll the veal tenderloin steaks into cracked black pepper, pressing the pepper into the meat so it adheres. Go a little or go a lot that’s up to you and how much pepper you like. Set aside refrigerated for 1 hour to allow the steaks to rest and the flavors to mix.

Grill peppercorn veal tenderloin steaks over medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare doneness. While the steaks are grilling prepare the cognac mushroom demi sauce

Cognac Mushroom Demi Sauce
Melt 3 tsp of butter in a small sauce pot over medium heat, sauté the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, add 2 tsp of butter, melt and add garlic and shallot and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring until just tender. Deglaze the pan with a little cognac and flambe, add demi-glace and season to taste with black pepper and salt. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in remaining 2 tsp of cold butter and stir until incorporated.

Adjust seasoning if needed before spooning over the grilled veal tenderloin.