The former Great British Bake Off judge has shared her recipe for fillet steak with peppercorn sauce – and it’s so simple to make, even beginners can do it
For those who fancy a bit of posh nosh without the faff, Mary Berry’s fillet steak with peppercorn sauce is a sure-fire winner. It’s a dish that screams sophistication but often leaves home cooks in a tizz over the potential for a culinary disaster – nobody wants a tough, overcooked steak, especially when it costs you a pretty penny.
Fear not, Mary Berry’s got your back with her foolproof recipe that promises a mouth-watering meal. The cooking doyenne herself has said: “Make a fillet steak that’s already special even more special with Mary Berry’s classic peppercorn sauce.
“This make-ahead sauce is a lifesaver if you want to cook a special dinner without spending all night in the kitchen.”
Here’s how to rustle up Mary Berry’s fillet steak with peppercorn sauce:
Ingredients (serves four):
- Four fillet steaks
- 50g butter, at room temperature
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the sauce:
- 100ml beef stock
- Half a garlic clove, crushed
- Two tablespoons of brandy
- One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- One tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 150ml double cream
- Half a teaspoon of crushed black peppercorns
- Two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
Method
As reported by the Express, you’ll need four fillet steaks, 50g of butter softened to room temperature, and a good pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper for seasoning.
For the sauce, grab 100ml of beef stock, half a crushed garlic clove, two tablespoons of brandy, one tablespoon each of Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard, 150ml of double cream, half a teaspoon of crushed black peppercorns, and two tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley.
To get started, press down on the steaks until they’re about 1cm thick, then season them as you like with salt and pepper.
Crank up your frying pan or griddle pan on high heat until it’s smoking hot. Rather than dolloping butter into the pan, spread it right onto the steak – this trick keeps burning at bay and infuses the meat with extra yumminess.
Give each side a sizzling two-minute sear, and you’re on your way to steak heaven.
After a couple of minutes, loosely wrap it in foil to let it rest and stay warm.
For the sauce, pour the stock into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and simmer until it’s reduced by half. Toss in the garlic, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cream and peppercorns.
Give it a good stir and bring it back to a rolling boil on high heat. Season with a pinch of salt and let it bubble away until it thickens to the consistency of pouring cream, then fold in the parsley.
To serve, dish out the steaks onto four plates, drizzle over the sauce and pair with a side of chips and greens.
