Lori Jayne-Style Steak Frites with Au Poivre Sauce

I found this recipe online—it seems interesting and I might try it.

The video is Lori Jayne’s steak frites with a highly customised au poivre sauce. It shows restaurant-scale preparation rather than a precise home recipe, so these quantities are my one-person recreation, scaled for practicality. (YouTube)

Steak Frites for One

Steak

• 140–180 g chuck flap/bavette steak (Ribeye or sirloin also works)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp beef tallow or neutral oil
• 15 g unsalted butter
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1 sprig thyme
• ½ sprig rosemary

Fries

• 1 large russet potato, about 250–300 g
• ½ tsp white vinegar
• ½ tsp salt
• Oil for deep-frying
• Fine salt

Lori Jayne-Style Sauce

• 1 medium shallot, very finely minced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp butter
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cognac or brandy
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• 120 ml chicken stock
• 60 ml heavy cream
• ½ tsp tamari or soy sauce
• ¼ tsp fish sauce
• ½ tsp kecap manis
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp red-wine vinegar (the restaurant uses cherry vinegar)
• ½ tsp black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• Chopped chives

Method

1. Soak the fries: Cut the potato into approximately 6 mm fries. Soak in cold water with the vinegar and salt for at least one hour. Drain and dry extremely thoroughly. The soaking and double-frying are important for avoiding limp fries. (Clip Recipe)
2. Make the steak butter: Melt the butter gently with thyme, rosemary and any steak trimmings. Cook on very low heat for 20–30 minutes. Add the crushed garlic for the final five minutes, then strain. The restaurant cooks a much larger batch for one to two hours. (Clip Recipe)
3. Start the sauce: Cook the shallot in one teaspoon butter and olive oil over low heat for 12–15 minutes until very soft and lightly golden. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Build the sauce: Add cognac and reduce almost completely. Add white wine and reduce by roughly half. Stir in the stock, tamari, fish sauce and kecap manis. Simmer until reduced to about 80 ml.
5. Finish the sauce: Add the cream and simmer until glossy and thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. Add lemon juice and vinegar. Keep warm.
6. Double-fry: Fry the potatoes at 150°C for 4–5 minutes without browning. Remove and cool for at least ten minutes. Fry again at 190°C for 2–3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp. Salt immediately.
7. Cook the steak: Pat dry and season generously. Heat tallow or oil in a very hot pan. Cook approximately three minutes on each side, depending on thickness. During the final minute, baste with the steak butter. The video targets a strong crust and medium-rare interior. (Clip Recipe)
8. Rest the steak: Rest for 7–8 minutes.
9. Add peppercorns: Lightly toast the peppercorns, crush them coarsely and stir them into the sauce just before serving. The restaurant combines black, green Sichuan and red Sichuan peppercorns. (Clip Recipe)
10. Serve: Place the steak over the fries, spoon the sauce generously over both and finish with chives and flaky salt.

My one adjustment: make the full sauce quantity even for one person. It is the defining component, and making a smaller quantity would reduce too quickly and become difficult to control.

Disclaimer: The ideas presented in this post are solely my personal perspective and have not been substantiated by any verifiable evidence. Please form your own opinions on such matters.