To cook steak:
Coarsely grind black peppercorns over plate and mix in butcher’s salt. Set steak on pepper mixture and press, coating both sides.
Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until steak is deeply browned. During last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, add 3 tbs butter, thyme, and garlic to pan and baste steak with foaming butter to finish cooking steak. Transfer steak to rack set over sheet pan to rest 5 minutes.
To make brandy sauce:
Pour off butter, garlic, and thyme from pan and discard. Return pan to medium heat and add 2 tbs butter, shallots, and chopped garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until shallots have softened. Add brandy and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and cream and simmer until reduced by one-fourth, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and more pepper, if necessary.
Meanwhile, to cook spinach and serve:
Heat large frypan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until it wilts. It will look like a lot of spinach when you first add to pan, but it cooks down considerably as it wilts. Season spinach with salt and pepper. Transfer to strainer to exude any excess liquid.
Spoon spinach onto small platter. Slice steak and arrange slices on platter with spinach. Serve with warm brandy sauce.
Potatoes
In small saucepan, bring vinegar and 1 tsp salt to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over tarragon in small bowl. Set tarragon vinegar aside to cool completely.
In large pot, add potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and cold water to cover potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are cooked through and tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes. Drain potatoes from water and arrange in single layer on sheet pan lined with kitchen towel. Cool completely.
In large dry pot, heat 3 inches duck fat over medium-high heat to 300°F. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes are completely tender and light golden brown in color. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to sheet pan and cool slightly.
Increase duck fat temperature to 375°F. Fry potatoes 3 to 4 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crispy. During final 30 seconds of frying, add rosemary to oil. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and rosemary to bowl and toss with parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
To cook steak:
Coarsely grind black peppercorns over plate and mix in butcher’s salt. Set steak on pepper mixture and press, coating both sides.
Heat grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until steak is deeply browned. During last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, add 3 tbs butter, thyme, and garlic to pan and baste steak with foaming butter to finish cooking steak. Transfer steak to rack set over sheet pan to rest 5 minutes.
To make brandy sauce:
Pour off butter, garlic, and thyme from pan and discard. Return pan to medium heat and add 2 tbs butter, shallots, and chopped garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until shallots have softened. Add brandy and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and cream and simmer until reduced by one-fourth, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and more pepper, if necessary.
Meanwhile, to cook spinach and serve:
Heat large frypan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until it wilts. It will look like a lot of spinach when you first add to pan, but it cooks down considerably as it wilts. Season spinach with salt and pepper. Transfer to strainer to exude any excess liquid.
Spoon spinach onto small platter. Slice steak and arrange slices on platter with spinach. Serve with warm brandy sauce.
Potatoes
In small saucepan, bring vinegar and 1 tsp salt to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour over tarragon in small bowl. Set tarragon vinegar aside to cool completely.
In large pot, add potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and cold water to cover potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook potatoes until they are cooked through and tender but not falling apart, about 6 minutes. Drain potatoes from water and arrange in single layer on sheet pan lined with kitchen towel. Cool completely.
In large dry pot, heat 3 inches duck fat over medium-high heat to 300°F. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until potatoes are completely tender and light golden brown in color. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to sheet pan and cool slightly.
Increase duck fat temperature to 375°F. Fry potatoes 3 to 4 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crispy. During final 30 seconds of frying, add rosemary to oil. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and rosemary to bowl and toss with parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
