Peppercorn sauce is a culinary
cream sauce prepared with
peppercorn
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diamet ...
, which is prepared as a
reduction of the cream in the cooking process.
Various types of peppercorn can be used in its preparation, such as black, green
and pink,
among others. Peppercorn sauce may be served with beef steak
such as
filet mignon
Filet mignon (; ; ) is a cut of meat taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, or psoas major of a cow. In French, it mostly refers to cuts of pork tenderloin.
The tenderloin runs along both sides of the spine, and is usually butchered as ...
and other
beef tenderloin
A beef tenderloin (US English), known as an eye fillet in Australasia, filet in France, filé mignon in Brazil, and fillet in the United Kingdom and South Africa, is cut from the loin of beef.
Description
As with all quadrupeds, the tenderloin ...
cuts,
lamb,
rack of lamb
A rack of lamb or carré d'agneau (though this may also refer to other cuts) is a cut of lamb cut perpendicularly to the spine, and including 16 ribs or chops. At retail, it is usually sold 'single' (sawn longitudinally and including the 8 ribs on ...
,
chicken
and fish dishes, such as those prepared with tuna and salmon.
Some versions use several types of peppercorns in the sauce's preparation,
and some may use ingredients that are similar in flavor to but not classified as peppercorns, such as
sansho.
Peppercorn sauce may be used on dishes served at
French bistro
A bistro or bistrot , is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant, serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. French home-style cooking, and slow-cooked foods ...
s and restaurants.
Some versions of ''
steak au poivre
Steak au poivre (, Quebec French pronunciation: ) or pepper steak is a French dish that consists of a steak, traditionally a filet mignon, coated with coarsely cracked peppercorns. The peppercorns form a crust on the steak when cooked and pr ...
'' use a peppercorn sauce in their preparation.
Ingredients
Primary ingredients are typically peppercorns and
heavy cream
Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...
. Additional ingredients may include butter, wine, brandy, such as
cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the Communes of France, commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the Departments of France, departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cog ...
, shallots, garlic and additional seasonings, such as bay leaf, star anise, tarragon and salt.
Some versions may incorporate
liquor
Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...
, such as whiskey.
See also
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Steak sauce
Steak sauce is a tangy sauce commonly served as a condiment for beef in the United States. Two of its major producers are British companies, and the sauce is similar to the "brown sauce" of British cuisine.
Overview
Steak sauce is normally br ...
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List of sauces
The following is a list of notable culinary and prepared sauces used in cooking and food service.
General
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* (salsa roja)
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* – a velouté sauce flavored ...
References
{{White sauces
White sauces