Best Cognac Recipes

BEEF MEDALLIONS WITH COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; stir 1 minute. Add chicken broth, beef broth and Cognac. Simmer until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Add cream. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks; cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for rare. Transfer steaks to plates. Add sauce to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Slice steaks; fan slices on plates. Top with sauce and garnish with chives.

BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH MUSTARD-COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Sprinkle steaks on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add steaks and sear until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 tablespoons butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to skillet. Cook steaks to desired doneness, turning occasionally and basting with pan juices, about 12 minutes for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks to small rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
• Pour contents of skillet into small bowl. Return 3 tablespoons drippings from bowl to same skillet and place over high heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add Cognac and Port and stir 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Add broth and boil until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Whisk in Dijon mustard, then remaining 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Arrange steaks on plates; whisk any accumulated juices from baking sheet into sauce. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT TORTE WITH CHOCOLATE COGNAC MOUSSE

Steps:

• Make ganache:
• Bring cream and butter to a simmer in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low. Whisk in chocolate until smooth and remove from heat. Transfer ganache to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened but spreadable, about 2 hours. (If ganache becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until slightly softened.)
• Make cake layers while ganache chills:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• Pulse chestnuts with flour, baking soda, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or about 6 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla (mixture will look a little separated). Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among pans and bake in middle of oven until pale golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks, then invert onto racks and remove parchment.
• Make mousse and assemble torte:
• Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, and stir in Cognac. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened to the consistency of softened butter, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too stiff, let stand at room temperature until softened.)
• Beat cream in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks, then chill, covered, while beginning to assemble torte.
• Put 1 cake layer on cardboard round on a rack set in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep). Spread 1/2 cup ganache evenly over top of layer and sprinkle with all of chopped marrons glacés. Top marrons glacés with another 1/4 cup ganache and cover with another cake layer.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar and beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir whipped cream into chocolate Cognac mixture, then stir in one third of whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon mousse immediately onto cake layer (it sets quickly), spreading evenly, then top with third cake layer. Chill torte, covered, until mousse layer is firm, about 1 hour. Keep remaining ganache at a spreadable consistency at room temperature, chilling, covered, if it becomes too soft.
• Glaze cake:
• Reserve 1 1/4 cups ganache in a metal bowl, then spread remainder over top and side of torte to seal in crumbs. Chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Set bowl of reserved ganache over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until ganache reaches a pourable consistency. Remove bowl from heat and cool 5 minutes. Pour ganache evenly over top of torte, making sure it coats all of side. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze (let excess drip into baking pan). Transfer cake on cardboard to a cake stand or plate using 2 large heavy metal spatulas and chill until set. Garnish just before serving.

SHRIMP COGNAC AND BAKED CHEESE GRITS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Bring the water and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Whisk in the grits and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring frequently until the grits are tender and very thick, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in 1 3/4 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons garlic, and the Cheddar cheese until the cheese has melted. Beat the eggs in a bowl with the milk until smooth, then stir into the grits until evenly combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the grits are hot in the center, and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, melt the clarified butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of garlic, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the leeks, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the morel mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms, tomatoes, and Creole seasoning; cook and stir until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Pour in the cognac and simmer 2 minutes before pouring in the shrimp stock and veal stock. Return to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the shrimp, thyme, and 3 tablespoons of butter. Cook and stir over low heat until the shrimp is no longer translucent, about 4 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve the shrimp and mushroom sauce alongside the baked grits.

FILET MIGNON WITH COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim fat from steaks. Place steaks in shallow dish. Pour 2 tablespoons of the cognac over steaks. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes, turning once. Drain steaks, discarding cognac in dish. Sprinkle steaks with pepper.
• Place steaks on rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 11-15 minutes for medium-rare or 14-18 minutes for medium, turning once.
• Meanwhile, for sauce: In small saucepan, cook mushrooms and shallot in hot butter for 3 - 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in beef broth and remaining cognac. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. In small bowl, stir together half-and-half, mustard, and flour. Stir into broth mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Serve sauce over steaks.

CHICKEN PAILLARDES & MUSHROOMS IN CREAMY COGNAC DIJON SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil and the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until cooked through, turning once (about 5 minutes total time). Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and keep warm.
• Add the Cognac and the wine to the pan and deglaze, stirring to scrape up the brown bits. Now add the sliced mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften and the sauce is reduced by half.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms to the plate of chicken, and keep warm.
• Whisk in the cream, mustard and tarragon to the sauce and cook, continuing to whisk, about 2 minutes until thickened. Pour any juices that have accumulated on the plate into the sauce and whisk to combine.
• Serve the chicken topped with the mushrooms and wine sauce, garnish with the snipped parsley. Wonderful served with a tossed salad and Potatoes Dauphinoise (recipe #359440).

COGNAC SHRIMP

Steps:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and saute the garlic and shallots until lightly browned. Stir in shrimp, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper. Mix in sun-dried tomatoes. Cook and stir 5 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and lightly browned.
• Pour cognac into the skillet, and stir to loosen browned bits from bottom. Reduce heat to low, and stir in half-and-half. Simmer 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the shallots and garlic and saute until transparent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Then add the cognac and flame.
• To do this, remove the saucepan from the heat and touch a lighted match to the edge of the pan; the fumes of the cognac will ignite.
• Holding the pan away from you, allow the flames to die down naturally.
• Add the stock and cream and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

FILET MIGNONS WITH COGNAC-CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the rub, in a small bowl, mix together the paprika, garlic powder, mustard, rosemary, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the rub all over the meat, reserving 1 Tb. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature, if necessary, before cooking.
• In a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Add the steaks and cook to the desired doneness, turning once, 3-5 minutes on each side.
• Transfer the steaks to a platter and let rest, tented loosely with aluminum foil, while you make the pan sauce.
• To make the sauce, in the same frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
• Add the shallot and parsley and saute until the shallot is softened, 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat and add the Cognac.
• Briefly return to the heat to warm; then remove from the heat again to ignite the Cognac using a long kitchen match, making sure the overhead fan is off and averting your eyes. Keep a lid handly in case the flame should flare up.
• When the flame has burned out, return the pan to high heat and whisk in the mustard, tomato paste, reserved 1 Tb rub, and beef stock.
• Cook, whisking often, to reduce the sauce by half, 4-5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream and cayenne to taste.
• Add any accumulated juices from the steaks. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• To serve, spoon a generous amount of sauce over the steaks and serve at once. Pass any extra sauce at the table.

PAN-SEARED FILET MIGNON WITH BRANDY OR COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat skillet in medium high setting.
• Add olive oil and heat for about 30 seconds.
• Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Add the steaks and the garlic to the skillet and pan sear each side for about 3-4 minutes.
• Steaks will be medium rare (internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F.) when small drops of juice begin to ooze on the surface of the steaks.
• Transfer meat to a warm plate.
• Add the brandy or cognac to the pan and heat until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Discard the garlic and add the butter and stir until melted.
• Pour over filets and garnish with parsley.

FILET MIGNON WITH PEPPERCORN-COGNAC-CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Spread each side of the steaks with a thin layer of the mustard -- using about half of the mustard in the recipe. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to coat well.
• Heat oil and butter in a 9-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks. Cook about 5- minutes on each side or until at your desired doneness.
• Remove steaks from the pan and allow to rest.
• Reduce heat to medium and add shallots to the pan. Saute for about 1 minute. Add cognac and cook for about 30 seconds. Add broth, cream, and remaining mustard. Reduce heat and whisk continuously. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to your taste but remember that the steaks are heavily seasoned.
• Serve steaks with the sauce.

STEAK AU POIVRE (PEPPERED STEAKS WITH COGNAC CREAM SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the cream until it reduces by half (20-30 minutes).
• In a saute pan, heat the oil and butter.
• Spread crushed peppercorns on a work surface.
• Pat the steaks dry and coat both sides with an even layer of peppercorns, pressing in with heel of hand to make adhere; season to taste with garlic salt.
• Lay the steaks in the pan.
• Sear steaks over high heat to desired doneness (the steaks are medium-rare when they feel slightly resistant to touch and you can see a faint pearling of red juice on the surface).
• Add bouillon, lemon juice, wine, and salt to the sauce, and stir.
• When the steaks have cooked, remove them from the pan; pour in the brandy.
• Ignite the brandy and, once the flames die down, stir to deglaze the pan; then add the brandy to the cream sauce.
• Place each steak on a toasted slice of bread and top with sauce.

CHATEAUBRIAND WITH COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut 3/4-inch deep slits in meat; insert garlic slivers into slits.
• Preheat oven to 450°F degrees.
• In large skillet, heat oil and brown meat on all sides.
• Place meat on a rack in roasting pan; set skillet aside.
• Roast meat to desired doneness, about 40 minutes for medium-rare.
• To make sauce, melt 1-1/2 tbsp butter or margarine in reserved skillet; add shallots and sauté until softened.
• Stir in stock, scraping up brown bits.
• Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.
• Add cognac and boil one minute.
• Reduce heat to low and whisk in mustard, then butter, one piece at a time.
• Cook just until butter is melted.
• Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Carve meat into 1/2-inch slices and spoon sauce over; serve immediately with a variety of fresh garden vegetables and a good red wine.

PAN-FRIED STEAK IN COGNAC-PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add peppercorns and mash with back of fork. Add broth, Cognac, and cream and boil until sauce is thick enough to coat spoon, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes. Set sauce aside.
• Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add steak to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steak to cutting board. Add reserved sauce to same skillet and bring to boil, stirring to scrape up browned bits.
• Slice steak thinly. Transfer steak to platter. Serve with sauce.

GARLIC-ROASTED CHATEAUBRIAND WITH COGNAC MUSTARD SAUCE RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• 1. With a small sharp knife, make several ¾ inch-deep slits in the meat. Insert garlic slivers into the slits. Brush the meat with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Set aside. 2. Preheat the oven to 450°. 3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat quickly on all sides. Remove the meat to a rack in a roasting pan. Set the skillet aside. 4. Roast the meat to the desired doneness, about 20 minutes for medium-rare. 5. For the sauce, melt 1 ½ tbsps of butter in reserved skillet. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about four minutes. 6. Remove the tenderloins from the roasting pan to a warm platter, set aside, covered loosely with foil. 7. Skim the fat from the pan. Over high heat, stir in the beef broth, scraping up the brown bits. Add the shallots and bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half. 8. Add the Cognac and boil one minute. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in the mustard. 9. Cut the stick of butter into 8 pieces and whisk in one piece at a time. Stir until the butter is melted. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper 10. Carve the meat into ½-inch slices. 11. Spoon sauce over meat and serve immediately.

CARAMEL-NUT TART WITH MILK CHOCOLATE AND COGNAC CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Line the tart pan with the pâte sucrée according to page 196. Prick the bottom with a fork and line it with a few open and fanned out coffee filters or a piece of parchment paper. Fill the lined tart shell with beans or pie weights, and bake 15 minutes, until set. Take the tart out of the oven, and carefully lift out the paper and beans. Return the tart to the oven, and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is an even golden brown. Set the tart on a rack to cool completely.
• Spread the nuts on a baking sheet (keep each type separate) and toast 8 to 12 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell nutty. Some will toast more quickly than others, so watch them carefully and remove the toasted nuts as needed.
• Place the sugar and 1 cup water in a very clean medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Over medium-high heat, cook the sugar, shaking the pan often to stir-don't use a utensil to stir, as it could cause the sugar to crystallize. Continue cooking and swirling the pan until the caramel is a deep golden brown, just beyond the soft-crack stage (about 310°F on a candy thermometer). It should be a nice dark color, but not burned.
• Remove from the heat, and slowly whisk in 2/3 cup cream, stirring with the whisk the entire time, until the caramel is smooth and the cream is fully incorporated. (Be aware that the caramel will foam up as you add the cream. It's very hot, so be careful and pour slowly.) Allow to cool a few minutes. Place the nuts and honey in a bowl. Pour the caramel over them, and stir to combine well. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour the mixture into the baked tart shell, to just below the rim. It's important not to overfill the crust. Refrigerate the tart at least 2 hours.
• Melt the milk chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, and stir in 1/3 cup water. Just before serving, whip 1 cup cream and the cognac to soft peaks in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Slice the tart in half, and cut one half into twelve thin slices. Refrigerate the rest for leftover snacking. Place one slice at the center of each of six plates. Prop up a second slice on top of the first, setting it at an angle and letting the pointed end of the slice rest on the plate. Continue with the remaining slices. Garnish each with three dollops of the cognac cream, and drizzle the milk chocolate across the tart.
• Note
• The tricky part to this dessert is making the caramel filling. If it cooks too long, it will taste bitter; and if it doesn't cook long enough, it won't achieve that chewy consistency.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH COGNAC

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in half of oil and half of butter. Add half of mushrooms and half of thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released most of their moisture and become golden, about 14 minutes. Add half of cognac and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
• Repeat with second half of all ingredients. Return first batch to skillet until heated through before serving.

LOBSTER WITH A MUSHROOM COGNAC AND GARLIC CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• heat and toss cooked lobster in unsalted butter...remove lobster and set aside..add oil and saute chopped onion and garlic till soft...throw in mushrooms and parsley and saute untill almost cooked..when pan starts to get dry pour in cognac and cook till almost evaporated...now pour in sherry and cook till almost evaporated...add lobster and juices and toss with mixture..add cream and stir...salt and pepper to taste.....serve mixture over pasta or beef tenderloin...a nice salad and garlic bread on the side...yummmmmm

BEEF TENDERLOIN STEAKS WITH MUSTARD-COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250.
• Sprinkle steaks on all sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat.
• Add steaks and sear until brown, about 2 minutes per side.
• Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Add 3 Tbs butter, garlic, thyme, and rosemary to skillet.
• Cook steaks to desired doneness, turning occasionally and basting with pan juices, about 12 minutes for medium-rare.
• Transfer steaks to small rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven.
• Pour contents of skillet into small bowl.
• Return 3 Tbs of drippings from bowl to same skillet and place over high heat.
• Add shallots and saute 2 minutes.
• Add Cognac and Port and stir 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add broth and boil until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes.
• Whisk in Dijon mustard, then remaining 3 Tbs cold butter, 1 Tbs at a time.
• Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Arrange steaks on plates; whisk any accumulated juices from baking sheet into sauce.
• Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.

LOBSTER VOL AU VENT WITH ORANGE COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• For the Orange Cognac Sauce: In a medium saucepan over high heat combine the orange juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat until nearly evaporated. Add the stock, heavy cream, and cognac. Boil for minute, remove from the heat, and set aside.
• For the Lobster Vol au Vent: Preheat a saucepan over high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil, then the lobster meat, mushrooms, shallots, tarragon, and white pepper, to taste, while stirring to combine ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of the Orange Cognac Sauce and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce to a simmer.
• Spoon reduced mixture into prepared shells, drizzle with remaining orange cognac sauce, and garnish with parsley leaves.