STT 16: Paul Berts Steak Au Pouvoir, Labneh Lemon Posset

A classic dinner for someone you love: A perfect Parisian bistro steak au pouvoir, chips and a foolproof creamy citrus posset to finish.

Hey everyone,

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and whether you’re cooking for a partner, a friend, or just for yourself (because, honestly, why not?), this menu is all about classic flavours, indulgence without too much effort, and a little nod to Paris—supposedly the city of love, and definitely the birthplace of modern fine dining.

Steak au poivre is one of my favourite classic dishes, and I return to it whenever I visit Paris. Bistrot Paul Bert is one of the city’s most consistently excellent bistros and their version is iconic—generously crusted in cracked pepper, seared to perfection, and finished with a velvety cognac cream sauce. Dorie Greenspan published the exact recipe in her book Around My French Table, and that’s what we’re loosely working on from here.

Paul Bert uses filet mignon, but I’m going with sirloin instead. Filet is tender, sure, but sirloin has more flavour and a better balance of fat, and—if you’re spending the money, you can get a high-quality sirloin from a butcher for the same price as an average supermarket filet. It’s Valentine’s, after all, and this recipe is all about simple technique and quality produce—visit the butcher!

A thick-cut sirloin (at least 4–5 cm) is also much easier to cook. A thinner steak has no margin for error—you can overcook it in seconds. A thicker steak lets you get that deep, golden crust while keeping the inside perfectly pink. With a 450g steak, I pull it from the pan when the thickest part hits 43°C and the thinner tail end reads 48°C. The key is to let it rest—if you take the steak all the way to medium-rare in the pan, the residual heat will push it past that as it rests, and you’ll lose that ideal texture. Resting also allows the muscle fibers to relax, meaning all those flavorful juices stay inside the steak instead of running out onto the plate the moment you cut in.

Meat thermometers are ridiculously cheap—under £10/$10 on Amazon—and they take the guesswork out of cooking steak (and honestly, all meat). Worth every penny. If you don’t have one, you can go by feel with the finger test, or just make a small incision in the thickest part of the steak to check before pulling it off the heat. Whatever you do, don’t skip the rest—it makes all the difference.

Now, let’s talk about the fries. Originally, I planned to do them from scratch—using techniques from my viral roast potatoes—but after testing, I landed on something simpler: frozen fries. There’s no shame in it. Most restaurants are using them, and good frozen fries can rival fresh, triple-cooked ones without the stress of finding the right potatoes. Weirdly- finding the right potato in Feb meant I cooked this dish FOUR times this week, as the just weren’t up to scratch. I went with skin-on frozen fries for extra texture and deep-fried them, but they work just as well in the oven if you’d rather avoid the oil smell—especially if you’re cooking for someone in a pokey city apartment.

Most of this can be prepped ahead, which is exactly what you want for Valentine’s Day. The fries need nothing more than cooking at the last minute, the sauce comes together in minutes, and your salad greens can be washed and ready to be dressed in my Perfectly Simple Vinaigrette just before serving (never dress too early—nobody wants a sad, wilted salad).

For dessert, a lemon posset—rich, creamy, and about as foolproof as it gets. This one’s lightened with thick labneh for a little extra tang, making it the perfect balance to a rich main. If you want to lean into the occasion, serve them in hollowed-out lemons. If not, ramekins or small glasses will do just fine. The beauty of this dessert is that it can be made days ahead, meaning that when dinner is done, all that’s left to do is pull them from the fridge, grab a spoon, and dig in.

Happy cooking, and have a great week with the people you love.

Jess x

Bistro Paul Bert Sirloin Steak au Poivre

The classic French bistro dish from Bistrot Paul Bert, via Dorie Greenspan this steak au poivre is served with perfectly crisp, golden fries and a rich pepper and cognac cream sauce.

Serves 2 • Time: 10 mins prep, 45 mins cooking

Ingredients

400g frozen skin-on fries

1.5L sunflower or peanut oil

1 tbsp black peppercorns

400g sirloin steak, thick cut (4–5 cm), fat on

½ tbsp neutral oil

½ tbsp butter

¼ cup (60ml) cognac or brandy, plus a splash more if desired

½ cup (120ml) heavy cream

Chopped chives, to garnish (optional)

Method

Set the oven to 70°C/160°F- fan and place a wire rack or tray inside. Heat 1.5L oil in a deep Dutch oven or high-sided pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 200°C. Make sure the oil comes up no more than 1/3 of the total volume of the pot. While the oil heats, prepare a tray lined with paper towels and have salt ready.

Carefully add the frozen fries and fry until crisp but still pale, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let them drain while increasing the heat. Bring the oil back up to 190°C, then fry the fries again for 1–2 minutes, just until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to the prepared tray, season generously with salt, toss well, and spread in a single layer in the warm oven while cooking the steak.

Crush the peppercorns using a mortar and pestle or by bashing them with a heavy frying pan. Sprinkle generously over both sides of the sirloin steak, pressing them into the meat. Season with salt.

Heat a heavy pan (cast iron or stainless steel) over high heat until very hot. Add ½ tbsp oil and sear the steak for 2–3 minutes per side, basting with ½ tbsp butter in the final minute. Transfer the steak to a plate, loosely tent with foil, and rest for at least 5 minutes.

Pour off the fat from the pan, but leave the browned bits and pepper. Lower the heat and carefully add ¼ cup cognac, scraping up any flavorful bits. If desired, ignite with a match and let the flames burn off, or simply reduce by half. Stir in ½ cup cream and let bubble gently for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of hot water. At this point I like to whisk the resting juices of the steak into the sauce. This is a break from the traditional recipe but I love it.

Warm a large serving plate. Pour two-thirds of the sauce onto a plate. Slice the steak and fan it over the top. Pile the fries next to it. Drizzle over the remaining sauce, scatter with chopped chives (if using), and finish with a final pinch of salt and pepper. Serve immediately alongside a nice salad.

Whipped Lemon Posset with Labneh

A bright and tangy little showstopper of a dessert that hits all the right notes—creamy, zesty, and effortlessly elegant. Serve it in hollowed-out lemons for extra flair.

Serves 4 • Time: 15 mins prep, 2–3 hours chilling

Ingredients

300ml double cream

4 lemons* (110ml juice) + zest, plus extra for serving

1 tin (397g) condensed milk

150g thick labneh

(If serving in hollowed-out lemons, you’ll need one lemon per person)

Method

If serving in hollowed-out lemons, cut a thin slice off the base of each lemon so it stands upright, being careful not to pierce the lemon flesh. Slice off the tops to expose the lemon segments, then use a small serrated knife or spoon to scoop out the segments, keeping the sides neat. Strain the extracted juice through a sieve, discarding any seeds or pulp. Set the prepared lemon shells aside.

In a bowl, whisk 300ml double/heavy cream until it just starts to thicken—do not overbeat. Pour in 1 tin condensed milk and add 110ml strained lemon juice. Tip in 150g labneh and gently fold everything together until smooth and slightly thickened.

Divide the mixture between the prepared lemon cups (or ramekins/glasses) and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, until set.

Before serving, finely zest lemon peel over the tops. Serve immediately.