Mr. Blandin's Steak Au Poivre

Put the diced shallots and ground peppercorns in a small saucepan with a heavy bottom. Add the white wine and gently simmer on low heat until the liquid is reduced to a third of its original volume.

Add the stock and bring mixture to a boil.

Remove the wine mixture from the heat and set aside.

Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a heavy saute pan and fry the steaks for about 4 minutes on each side or until they are well-seared on both sides.

Remove the steaks from the pan and place them on a warm platter.

Add the ham and saute for a few minutes until it gets a bit crispy.

Pour out any grease that may have accumulated in the pan.

Pour the cognac into the pan. Tip the pan away from you toward the burner flame and ignite the cognac.

Once the flame subsides, add the reserved white wine sauce to the pan.

Bring the mixture to a boil once again and add the remaining tablespoon of butter as you swirl the pan to blend it into the sauce.

Remove the pan from the heat and add salt to taste.

Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve very hot.