First, Gear Patrol brought you the Gear Burger. The response was as robust as its grilled Kobe beef. That got us thinking about other man-approved recipes. There’s nothing more central to the male paradigm than steak. Surprisingly, a lot of men are intimidated by proper steak preparation, due to its delicate cooking nature. No one wants to serve an undercooked piece of meat, so they sometimes end up charring it beyond recognition (even worse).

It’s time to face your fears, it’s 2009 buddy. So GP has again enlisted the services of Executive Chef Richard Parente (more about Parente at the end of this article) to give us his take on the classic Steak au Poivre.

Ingredients & Preparation (yields two steaks):

• 2: 1″-1 ½” Black Angus NY strip steaks
• ¼ cup small diced onions
• 1 tsp fresh chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup brandy
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup veal demi glace (beef stock will also work)
• Course ground black pepper - from a pepper mill preferably

Cooking | Grilling

• Start by seasoning your steaks with lots of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Grill steaks to one level below desired doneness. This means that if you want your finished steak to be medium, remove at medium-rare.
• Remove and wrap in aluminum foil.

The best steak is grilled. It just is. However, for the urbanites or those who don’t own a grill another great option is broiling. You can always pan sear, but be prepared to open the windows and disconnect the smoke alarm. (Here’s a cooking times chart based on your steak’s thickness and desired level of doneness.) Alternatively, you can go old school to deduce the proper cooking time and really impress your diner guests.

According to Chef Richard Parente:

If you’re not sure how long to cook your steak, use your head. Literally. To the touch, your cheek feels rare, your chin feels medium, and your nose feels well done. For godssake never, never overcook your steak.

au Poivre Sauce

• In a sauté pan, add a small amount of oil to sauté your onions and garlic.
• When onions become translucent, quickly add brandy, pepper, and veal demi to deglaze the pan. This will unlock all the stuck-on flavors.
• Add heavy cream, reduce to the consistency of a thick gravy.

Assembly

• Let steak sit in foil for 10 minuets.
• Remove steak from foil, add to plate.
• Spoon on au Poivre sauce. Don’t over do it. Great meat doesn’t need a lot of extra flavoring.
• Garnish with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.

Chef Richard Parente

Chef Parente is co-owner and Executive Chef of Sentrista Grill. It’s one of the Hudson Valley’s hottest and most well-reviewed Italian-American style restaurants. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Rich has culinary experiences ranging from catering and corporate events to some of the best restaurants and resorts in the area.

One of the greatest attributes of a Chef is the ability to give their patrons exactly what they want. Too often, Chefs think gourmet, high-end food is the only medium worthy of their talents. Rich, on the other hand, has the innate ability to satiate your taste buds with either simple comfort food or exquisite 5-star appropriate fare. His dedication to his guests doesn’t stop at the kitchen door. In fact, Rich often checks on his tables personally. A finishing touch to a warm and inviting culinary experience.