It All Started…
I had every intention of making this a recipe for filet mignon with a creamy green peppercorn sauce. The recipe came out extremely well, however Mark and I found the green peppercorns too acerbic. This, of course, took me on the wild ride of creating something new, fun, and different.
My experimentation afforded me ample opportunity to use my new carbon steel skillet from Copper State Forge. They have beautiful, hand-forged pans that work perfectly on magnetic induction, gas, or electric cooktops. I discovered them at their booth at the Heirloom Farmers Markets here in Tucson, and I have been coveting their pans for quite a while. I finally bit the bullet and bought a skillet — wowser! I love it! If you have any interest, I have worked out a special price for my readers — a 10% discount using COCOA10 when you order. I don’t get anything from it — I just want to share the beauty of these amazing pans.
Back to the recipe… When in the grocery store recently, I accidentally purchased a jar of Maille honey Dijon mustard instead of regular; it’s not something I would normally buy. So why not use it in this recipe? I switched out the traditional brandy to a nice bourbon (Woodford Reserve), used black peppercorns and cream, and voilà: an entirely new take on filet mignon in creamy peppercorn sauce.
~ David
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angiesrecipes
August 17, 2024 at 4:46 ammmmm…I am drooling and the steak is perfectly cooked! I love that pan!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:20 amThanks, Angie — I’m glad you like it!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
August 17, 2024 at 5:56 amNow that really is a beautiful skillet. I’m a big fan of carbon steel, It has many of the same qualities as cast iron without the weight, including a beautiful sear. And although I don’t have it very often, there’s nothing quite like a nicely seared steak. Always a treat when I do indulge.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:19 amSteak is rare for us, too (well, not during this past two weeks of experimentation), but that’s what makes it special. This is my first (and definitely not my last) carbon steel pan!
Mad Dog
August 17, 2024 at 6:00 amI bet that tasted good!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:18 amNo on suffered, Mad Dog, that’s for sure.
Barb
August 17, 2024 at 7:34 amWow, you did go the wild side!! That steak is mouthwatering! The sauce sounds perfect. I’ve always wanted an octagon skillet and that one is a beauty.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:18 amI love this skillet, Barb — it’s pretty fun and amazing. And the sauce, too. Mmm… Saturday morning at 9:00 and I would eat one of these steaks now!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
August 17, 2024 at 7:44 amI believe that experimentation is how we end up with some of our best meals. Sounds great.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:17 amYes, Karen — I agree! It has also added a pound or two! As we continued with experimentation, we each had half a filet just to keep things lighter.
Mimi Rippee
August 17, 2024 at 7:58 amThe skillet is beautiful! As is the filet. And the sauce! I’d have to cut back on the Dijon – it’s not my husband’s favorite condiment!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 17, 2024 at 9:16 amI don’t think your husband would notice the mustard flavor, Mimi — it is not very pronounced at all. The skillet is just a delight!
Ronit
August 17, 2024 at 11:23 amSuch a mouthwatering dish. Mustard is one of my most favorite condiments, so I know I would love the sauce. It’s so simple, yet so full of flavors.
The skillet is a work of art. Beautiful. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 18, 2024 at 9:04 amThanks, Ronit — I love the sweet tang from both the bourbon and the mustard! And I do love my skillet!
Colette
August 17, 2024 at 12:33 pmD! That sauce! Pour it over an old sea captain’s boots and I’ll eat them!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 18, 2024 at 9:04 amI’ll have to give that a try, Colette! 🤣
sherry
August 18, 2024 at 2:31 amthis looks so delicious David! I do like my steak medium-rare, more on the rarer side I guess and this looks wonderful. I make my own mustard and i always add a bit of honey to it. My hubby loves it! Oh my that pan! What an amazing shape it has!!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 18, 2024 at 9:05 amI love the shape of the pan, Sherry — they are amazing artisans! Glad you like the steak recipe!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
August 19, 2024 at 4:40 pmGorgeous pan and terrific steaks. It is cooked to perfection, and I do love the mustard sauce!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 22, 2024 at 3:42 pmThanks, Ben — the sauce (as one friend said) would be good served on an old boot!
Jeff the Chef
August 22, 2024 at 3:10 pmMy gosh, David, those steaks look delicious. I’ve often admired similar pans in the kitchen shops. Just out of curiosity, are you cooking on an induction top with them? I’m very interested in that, as well.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 22, 2024 at 3:41 pmHey, Jeff — thanks! I love the pan and, yes, I’m using magnetic induction and I love it, I have had it almost 4 years now. Definitely ask me questions as you consider this.
Jeff the Chef
August 23, 2024 at 9:13 amThank you! I very much appreciate it! My stovetop needs updating, and I’m stronly considering induction. I have so many questions, but I think instead of innundating you with them, I’ll ask them a few at a time if you don’t mind! First, I’ve heard that if you use a pan that is significantly larger than the induction surface, that it is surprisingly ineffective, so you need a large induction area, and that larger ones are expensive. True? Second, did you replace a gas/electric stovetop, or do you still have one, and if you still have it, do you prefer it for anything?
Cocoa & Lavender
August 23, 2024 at 9:41 amHey Jeff, I replaced an electric cooktop, not gas. Our neighborhood was not plumbed for gas in the 70s, as there was a moratorium in Tucson. Oddly, I have always cooked on electric and never have had a gas stove, so I was used to it. I do have one large burner for large pots, and I chose the cooktop for that reason. It’s an 11-inch “coil/burner” and my 16 inch skillets have 11-12-inch bottoms. They work beautifully! My other four coils/burners are 8-inch, and they work well with my 10-inch skillet, as well as all my other pots/pans. Are all your pots magnetic induction-ready? I have thoughts on that, as well. I also purchased a single coil/burner to use for outdoor cooking. It’s not as strong as the actual cooktop, but I like it. As for cost, I did this during Covid (lots of extra expendable cash since we weren’t doing anything) and wasn’t paying a lot of attention to prices. I was more interested in what was going to work for me.
Jeff the Chef
August 28, 2024 at 7:13 amI’d say maybe 25% of my pans are magnetic – but fortunately, they happen coincidentally to be my favorite ones. What are your thoughts?
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2024 at 10:37 pmIf your favorite pans are induction, ready, I think you’re in good shape. If you decide you need to add others, let me know… I found a really good source for excellent chef quality pans.
Shashi
August 23, 2024 at 8:45 amWow – that Bourbon-Honey-Dijon-Peppercorn Cream sounds amazing! My BF’s birthday is next week and I think I might give this a try! Also thanks for the recommendation on that carbon steel skillet!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 23, 2024 at 8:59 amHi Shashi — I hope your BF likes the steak and sauce! It’s perfect for a special celebration.
Raymund
August 28, 2024 at 4:04 pmWow, that’s a fantastic pivot from the original recipe! Your creamy peppercorn sauce with bourbon sounds absolutely mouthwatering, and it’s great to hear that the carbon steel skillet is working out so well for you.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 28, 2024 at 10:37 pmI think this sauce has a lot of applications, other than the beef, don’t you?
Inger
August 30, 2024 at 3:58 pmHey David–just tried the “whatever’s in the VRBO” version of this on vacation and it was delicious! So I can tell you that it still works with 2% milk and butter substituted for cream! Pretty ritzy backwoods food! Thanks for sharing!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 23, 2024 at 11:34 amI’m very impressed, Inger! Yes, I love the creativity a vacation rental kitchen brings!
2pots2cook
September 6, 2024 at 6:20 amBeautiful seared filets but special thanks for the link! What an easy way to spend lots of money hahahahahahahaha
Cocoa & Lavender
September 23, 2024 at 11:35 amVery easy way to spend, Davorka… and they just came out with a wok which I covet.
Pauline McNee
September 6, 2024 at 5:04 pmI’ll have to do some research into carbon steel pans David, it seems they really do the job well, and yours has a great shape. Your sauce looks delicious, and the steak perfectly cooked.
Cocoa & Lavender
September 23, 2024 at 11:35 amCarbon steel is wonderful, Pauline!