Steak au Poivre et Thé

Total Time:
about 30 minutes

Prep Time:
minimal about 5 minutes

Inactive:
none – while the tea steeps, I was mincing garlic and grinding spices

Cook Time:
15-20 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 T Black Dragon Pearls (use black tea if you wish)
• 1/2 C boiling water
• 2 t peppercorns (I used a mixture of black, white, and pink peppercorns)
• 1/2 t allspice berries
• 2 six ounce Filet Mignon steaks, approximately 1″ thick
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
• sea salt to taste
• 2 T butter
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 T bourbon
• 1/2 C organic heavy whipping cream

Procedure
Place 1 T tea in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over it and let steep for four minutes. Strain and set aside.

In a spice grinder, add 1 T tea, peppercorns, and allspice. Grind coarsely and turn out on a plate. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and press them into the tea-peppercorn mixture.

Melt 1 T butter in a large, flat-bottom pan and place smashed garlic into the pan. Sear the meat until well-colored, approximately 4 minutes on each side. Move the steaks to an baking dish and transfer them to the oven to keep warm.

Melt 1 T butter into the pan. Add the onions and cool until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Pour bourbon and reserved tea into the pan. Cook until reduced and syrupy. Add the cream and let it thicken until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning as desired.

To serve, place the steaks on a plate. Spoon the sauce over the top. Serve immediately.