This is a pairing for an occasion where you just want to reward your awesome self with a lavish meal. I know that truffles, cognac, and entrecôte aren't cheap or easy to come by, but I think it's worth the extra effort and money spent on ingredients. And you are super cool and deserve it, right? I justify shelling out the extra cash because it's not difficult to make, and it doesn't take tons of time to prepare.  

 

As for the wine, I find that the dried berry notes, balanced acidity, and touches of cedar in the 2009 Octonia, pair really well with the cognac and the earthy truffles. The rich sauce is so good that I could just eat it with a spoon like a decadent soup. Oh, and one last wine tip….. Winemaker, Josep Serra definitely recommends decanting the wine before serving.

 

Ingredients

Serves 2

 

Entrecôte:

500 g Entrecôte, (portioned into two 250 g steaks… Bwah-ha-hah!!)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
100 ml Cognac
500 ml veal stock (unsalted!)
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 large black truffle, shaved with a vegetable peeler or truffle slicer
1 tbsp olive oil
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
   

Smashed Herb Potatoes:

200 g potatoes, peeled
200 ml heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped fine
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped fine
  salt and pepper
   

Method

 

This requires a small amount of multitasking. Don't be afraid, you can do it!  Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside. Place a pot of water large enough to cook the potatoes over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until you can easily pierce them with a fork.

 

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large sauté pan until it is quivering hot. Try not to use a pan with a nonstick surface. The steaks will sear better in a traditional metal pan because the food has more contact to the surface of the pan. Pans with the nonstick surfaces can also become toxic if they are exposed to high heat. Toxic poison steak, anyone? No! Now where were we? Oh yes, searing the entrecôte. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a drop of water to the pan. If the water drop “dances” it's ready. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, wait 10 seconds and add the steaks. Cook for about three minutes per side. Remove the steaks from the pan. You can keep the entrecôte warm by tenting it with foil.

 

Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot. Cook for one minute, and add the garlic and cook a minute longer. Return the heat to high and add the cognac and the stock. Simmer over medium high heat until 1/3 of the liquid is left in the pan. While the stock is simmering drain the water off of cooked potatoes and return them to their pot.  Season with salt and pepper and smash with a vegetable masher or a large spoon. Mix in cream, then the butter and the herbs. Okay, back to the sauce. When the sauce is reduced to a third add the cream and cook for one minute longer. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter. Now add the truffles and you're done! 

 

PS It's okay to lick the plate, as long as the person you are dining with isn't your boss!