Ribeye Steak with Creamy Pepper Sauce

Take the steaks out of the refrigerator at the start of preparation. Have ready a heavy steel or cast-iron skillet about 30 cm in diameter with a flat base at least 26 cm across, tongs, a spoon, a clean plate, and aluminum foil. Pat the meat thoroughly dry with paper towels, without rinsing and without piercing it. Finely chop the 50 g shallot. Finely grind 1 g of the 6 g peppercorns, then coarsely crush the remaining 5 g in a mortar or with the flat side of a knife.

Rub both steaks with all 4 g salt and 1 g finely ground pepper, distributing the seasoning over both sides. Heat the empty skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, then add all 10 ml oil. Spread it in a thin layer over the base; it should be hot and fluid but should not smoke for long. Both steaks must fit without touching or overlapping.

Place both steaks in the skillet and cook for about 2–3 minutes without moving them, until the underside forms a distinctly browned crust and the steaks turn easily with tongs. Turn and cook the other side for another 2–3 minutes. Keep the browned bits on the base, but do not let them turn black: lower the heat slightly if needed. Do not press the meat against the skillet and do not pierce it with a fork.

Lower the heat to medium and add 10 g butter. Once it foams, tilt the skillet and baste the steaks with the hot fat for about 2 minutes, turning them halfway through. Use tongs to hold each thicker fatty edge against the base for about 30 seconds. For medium doneness, the meat should feel springy, and a small cut should reveal a warm, pink center; if the center is cold or clearly too raw, cook both sides briefly again before setting the steaks aside. Transfer both steaks to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil for 8–10 minutes while you make the sauce. Leave all the fat and browned bits in the skillet.

In the same skillet, melt the remaining 20 g butter over medium-low heat and add the chopped shallot. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring, until softened, without heavy browning. Add all 5 g coarsely crushed pepper and stir for about 30 seconds. Pour in the 60 ml water and boil for about a minute, scraping the browned bits from the base with a spatula; do not pour off any fat or liquid.

Pour in all 150 ml cream and add the remaining 1 g salt. Cook over low heat for about 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon; do not reduce it to a greasy paste. Toward the end, add all the juices from the plate where the steaks are resting and heat briefly together. The sauce should remain fluid but run off the spoon in a thicker stream, with visible bits of pepper and shallot.

After at least 8 minutes of resting, place one steak on each plate. Divide the hot sauce equally between the two portions. Serve immediately; you may leave the meat whole or cut it across the grain into thicker slices just before serving.