What better source for a classic steak recipe than the head chef at Philadelphia's premiere culinary school?
Chef Lassance is here to help.
A senior instructor at The Restaurant School, Chef Lassance boasts two separate Michelin two-star restaurants on his resumé - rating stars from Michelin guidebooks being pretty much the holy grail for any chef.
But Lassance is hardly a pretentious Top Chef judge. A one-time Best Chef of the Year in Belgium, Lassance's thick French accent is soft-spoken, and according to his students, he has only raised his voice in the kitchen once in the past two years.
His advice to the collegiate chef: "The more you read, the more you learn, the more ideas you think to try." So keep reading those foodie blogs (and Street, obviously).
And taking classes from a master does have its advantages. Lassance is a wealth of practical knowledge for the aspiring chef, students say, with tips like these two bite-sized pieces of knowledge:
1. The state of a soup being not too thick and not too thin is called "nappe." To test it, you should be able to wipe the soup off of a spoon with your finger, but make sure it doesn't drip, as well.
2. If you slice your finger with a kitchen knife, apply white peppercorn to stop the bleeding.
The best piece of advice, however, is simple: "More butter!"
Steak Au Poivre (Peppersteak)
5 8oz NY strip steaks
3oz mix of whole black, white, and pink peppercorns
2oz brandy
4oz raisins
2oz kosher salt
2oz warm water
5oz butter, clarified and whole
Preparation:
-To make pepper mignonette, crush all peppercorns and mix in kosher salt
-Plump raisins in water and « of the brandy for 2 hours
-Season steak with pepper mignonette
-Sauté in clarified butter until slightly under desired color
-Deglaze the pan with remaining brandy. Add raisins and chicken stock and reduce by «
-Add whole butter to sauce to make emulsion
-Serve immediately
