Steak Au Poivre with Scallion Smashed Potatoes

Gather your ingredients.

Wash the potatoes and put them in a pot over high heat with just enough water to cover them.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the largest potato bursts evenly when you crush it with a wooden spoon. It's fine if the water reduces, but add a little water if the bottom of the pot begins to dry out.

Clean and slice the scallions.

Slice off the stem end of the shallot, then slice it in half through the middle of the cut face towards the root end. Place the halves on the newly cut side and slice from above. For a very fine mince, slice with the knife parallel to the board, towards the root tip, several times, without breaking through the root end. Finally, turn the shallot and cut to a fine dice.

Spread the black peppercorns out on a hard, flat surface and crush them. A heavy pan works well if you put your weight into it. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle or a meat tenderizer. You don't want to grind the peppercorns, just crack them.

Spread the pepper out evenly and press one side of each of your steaks into the grinds to coat.

Heat some oil in a heavy skillet over high heat.

Slide the slice of butter into the pan and swirl it around to melt into the oil.

Slide the steaks into the hot oil and butter. Let them cook for about 4 minutes to get a good, crusty sear on the peppered side.

Flip the steaks to sear the opposite side. You can reduce the heat here a little to let them cook more slowly on the un-peppered side. Cook until caramelized and cooked through to the desired doneness. A meat thermometer should read an internal temperature above 145°F for medium rare.

Take up the pan and pour off some of the grease. Leave a little grease and as much of the pepper and fond as possible in the pan.

Stir the minced shallot into the remaining hot oil and let it cook for a minute or so, just until tender and fragrant. If you happen to have a little cognac or red wine on hand, add a shot of it here to deglaze. If not, just skip it.

Stir in the cream.

Simmer gently to thicken the cream to a sauce.

Season with a little salt. You shouldn't need any pepper.

Crush the cooked potatoes with a wooden spoon or a potato masher.

Add 1/2 cup of cream.

Add 1 Tbsp of butter and stir it into the crushed potatoes.

Season as needed with salt and pepper.

Stir in the sliced scallions.

Slice the steak against the grain. Coat in cream sauce. Add a scoop of smashed potatoes.