Steak au Poivre with Hericot Verts

It was Memorial Day weekend and everyone grilled out except for us! Monday night we hopped down to the store and picked up some nice New York strip steaks and I took a shot at an Au Poive sauce. (It's always nice to have an excuse to flambe'!) In an effort to get my husband to eat more veggies I also bought some hericot verts (french string beans). They were a little pricey but they were tasty with the lemon and shallots. Worth it!

Ingredients:

• 2 New York strip steaks, about 1 lb
• 1/4 cup black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 3 shallots, minced (divided)
• 1 1/2 tbsp brandy
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/3 lb hericot vert (or regular green beans)
• 1 lemon, zested

For the steak & sauce:
1. Using a pepper mill or mortar and pestle, crush the peppercorns until they are coarsely cracked (not finely ground). Sprinkle the pepper on both sides of the steaks and press it into the meat. Let the steaks sit out until they reach room temperature (20-30 minutes).
2. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until bubbling. Add the steaks and sear each side for 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees (for medium rare). Transfer the steaks to a warm platter and cover with aluminum foil. Leave the remaining juices in the frying pan.
3. Add 2 of the minced shallots to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add the brandy for a flambe' - quickly light the pan with a match and step back - the flames will last 20 seconds or so, shake the pan a bit to make sure they are out before returning the pan to the heat. Add the red wine and bring to a boil until the sauce thickens, 3 minutes or so, and then add the stock. Let the sauce reduce for a few minutes and then remove from heat. Add the cream and mustard and sit until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Transfer the steaks to a plate and pour half the sauce over each one.

For the beans:
1. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. (You'll need this later to blanch the beans).
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for 5-7 minutes until they are bright green and tender. Immediately transfer the beans (not the boiling water) to the ice bath.
3. In a frying pan over medium heat, heat the 1/2 tsp oil. Add the shallot and saute until softened (2-3 minutes). Add the green beans and cook for a few minutes until they begin to brown. Remove from heat and add the lemon zest. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2
WW: 19 pts for steak and 1 for beans (just the oil)