Pepper steak with zucchini ratatouille & thyme jus

Niagara Meets Provence – Canada’s Cabernet Franc Deserves It

A pepper steak needs no introduction. It needs a hot skillet, freshly ground black pepper, good meat, and a wine that can hold its own. The 2020 Carretto Cabernet Franc from Pillitteri Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake delivers: cherry-forward, with soft tannins, crisp acidity, and a complexity from 19 months in barrique that isn’t overpowering, but simply there. The ratatouille served with it is no mere side dish—it’s the seasonal anchor. Zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant—all just coming into their first summer season. Thyme ties the two together. Canada surprises with this wine—and the dish lets it shine.

Ideal wine pairing: Pillitteri Cabernet Franc (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada)

Pillitteri Estates is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario—one of Canada’s most prominent wine-growing regions, where Lake Ontario moderates the climate and long growing seasons allow the grapes to reach full ripeness. The 2020 vintage was exceptional: a warm spring, a hot, dry summer, and a prolonged fall lasting until late October—conditions that ensured deep flavor and optimal ripeness. The grapes for the Carretto Estate series come exclusively from the winery’s home vineyards, planted between 5 and 20 years ago. Fermentation takes place on the skins for two weeks in stainless steel tanks with twice-daily pumping over, followed by 19 months of aging in new and used French barriques. The result is a Cabernet Franc without the green pepper notes of unripe examples—fully ripe, fruit-forward, and precise.

In the glass, a deep, luminous ruby red. The bouquet is inviting and distinct: fresh, ripe berries, an abundance of cherry, a hint of licorice—all accompanied by vanilla and a touch of charred wood from the long barrel aging. Very balanced on the palate, youthful yet with soft, polished tannins and a crisp, cool-climate acidity that highlights the fruit and brings the dish to life. A versatile, very food-friendly wine. It pairs well with pepper steak for a simple reason: the black pepper on the meat echoes the wine’s dark spice, the cherry fruit plays off the roasted aromas of the crust, and the acidity cuts through the fat of the entrecôte. The ratatouille extends the finish with herbal depth.

The recipe:

Pepper steak with zucchini ratatouille & thyme jus

A Canadian wine for early summer: pepper-crusted entrecôte with seasonal zucchini ratatouille and aromatic thyme jus—the Cabernet Franc Carretto from Pillitteri Estates in Niagara-on-the-Lake offers notes of cherry and licorice along with a crisp structure that perfectly complements the dish.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Festive meal, Meat dish

Cuisine International, Seasonal

Servings 2 people

Calories 680 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan
• 1 Small pot for the thyme jus
• 1 A wide skillet or sauté pan for the ratatouille
• 1 Meat thermometer
• 1 Mortar for grinding pepper
• 1 Cutting board and sharp knife

Ingredients

  

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FOR THE PEPPERSTEAK:

• 2 Entrecôte about 220 g each, about 3 cm thick
• 2 tablespoon black pepper coarsely ground in a mortar
• 1 tsp sea salt coarse
• 2 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 garlic cloves unpeeled, slightly crushed
• 3 thyme sprigs

FOR THE THYME SAUCE:

• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 100 ml Red wine e.g., Cabernet Franc
• 150 ml Veal stock or dark poultry stock
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp butter cold, for thickening the sauce
• Salt Pepper

FOR THE ZUCCHINI RATATOUILLE:

• 1 medium-sized zucchini cut into 1-cm cubes
• 1 red bell pepper seeded, cut into 1-cm cubes
• 1 small eggplant cut into 1-cm cubes
• 2 ripe tomatoes roughly diced
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 1 tsp rosemary finely chopped
• Salt black pepper
• 1 A pinch of sugar

Instructions

 

FOR THE RATATOUILLE

• Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat.
• First, sauté the eggplant for 5 minutes until it begins to brown slightly.
• Add the bell peppers and zucchini, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and tomatoes.
• Add thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
• Simmer gently over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until everything is tender and fragrant.
• Keep warm.

FOR THE THYME SAUCE:

• Sauté the shallot in olive oil until translucent.
• Pour in the red wine and reduce by half.
• Add the stock and thyme, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Pass through a fine sieve.
• Just before serving, stir in cold butter (whip it in), and season with salt and pepper to taste.

FOR THE PEPPERSTEAK:

• Pat the steaks dry.
• Press the ground pepper evenly onto both sides and season with sea salt.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it smokes slightly.
• Add the olive oil, then immediately place the steaks in the pan.
• 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare.
• In the last 2 minutes, add the butter, garlic, and thyme—the butter will foam; pour it over the steaks (baste them).
• Let the steaks rest on a cutting board for 3–4 minutes.

SERVE:

• Divide the ratatouille between two plates.
• Slice the steak diagonally and place it on top.
• Pour the thyme jus over the ratatouille and the steak.
• Serve the Carretto Cabernet Franc at 17–18 °C; open the bottle one hour before drinking.

SIDE DISHES:

• Toasted baguette for mopping up the gravy
• Green leaf lettuce with Dijon vinaigrette

Nutrition

Calories: 680kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 48gFat: 42g

Keyword Cabernet Franc, Entrecôte, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Pepper steak, Ratatouille, Steak Recipe, Thyme jus, Wine from Canada, Zucchini Season

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