Steak au Poivre

• 2 middle-cut rump steaks (or sirloin if you prefer), about 3 cm thick
• scant tablespoon olive oil

Using a pastry brush if you’ve got one, paint the steaks on both sides with oil; you should need not more than a teaspoon on each side. Then dredge the oily steaks in the mashed peppercorns: you want a good crusty coat. If the corns are too coarse, they’ll just fall off; if they’re too fine, you won’t stop coughing when you eat them.

In a heavy-bottomed pan, put the remaining oil to hea