This is without a doubt the very best steak I have ever eaten. It is buttery soft and the gravy is unbelievably delicious. There are a few steps to this but get everything ready before you start, ensure you have home made veal stock and you will be very chuffed with yourself at the end. This is a special meal and worthy of any celebration.

Ingredients
2 x 250g beef fillet 
85g butter 
50ml brandy 
500ml veal stock 
1 tsp black peppercorns 
1 tsp white peppercorns 
½ tsp salt flakes 

Equipment Needed 
A pestle and mortar 
An oven proof frying pan 

Method
Remove your steaks from the fridge. 

Put the stock into a stock pot and on a high heat, reduce down to roughly 100ml - when ready it will be thicker and clearer - this took me around 15 minutes.  You are always better to do this in the largest pot you have as the larger the surface area, the quicker this step is.  Check the seasoning, if you have made your own stock it will be fine but if you have bought the stock it might be a touch salty at this point.  If it is, add a splash of lime and retaste.

Roughly crush the peppercorns with a pestle and mortar and put on to a plate.

Preheat the oven to 100°C.

Put the steaks on a plate or board and season with the salt and evenly coat both steaks with the pepper, pushing the pepper into the steak.

Take roughly a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of olive oil and put into a frying pan on medium high.  Place the steaks in the frying pan and cook for 3 ½ minutes each side until brown. 

Remove the steaks from the pan, remove the oily butter and roughly clean with kitchen roll carefully.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 70g of butter.  Add the steaks back to the pan and once the butter has melted, cook the steaks for another 5 minutes, basting the steaks in the butter until it goes nut brown.

Add the brandy and turn your steak.  Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.  Pour in the reduced stock and baste the meat.  Remove the steaks to an oven dish and put into the oven for 10 minutes to rest them.

Meanwhile check the seasoning of the sauce, put a lid on but so that it is just off centre so any steam can escape and reduce the heat.  You want to keep it warm not continue to cook.

Remove the steaks from the oven and pour any juices into the sauce and stir.  Pour the sauce over the steak and enjoy.  This is particularly delicious served with dauphinoise or mash.

- Recipe by Henry Harris