Pan-Roasted Filet of Beef with Sansho Peppercorn Sauce

Even if you haven’t heard of steak au poivre, you’ve probably seen “Steak with Peppercorn Sauce” on the menu at your local French restaurants and bistros. They’re one and the same—filet of beef covered in a reduction made with cream and crushed peppercorns. When I was a little girl, my parents used to take me to a place in Windsor, Canada, for my favorite execution of this classic dish. The restaurant, La Cuisine, wasn’t that far away; it was on the border, just southeast of Detroit. The dr