The Canadian Superstore at Metrotown was having a sale on beef this afternoon. Their bone-in rib steaks were irresistible; this is the same premium cut used for great steak dishes like Cote de Boeuf and Prime Rib. We are going to have a feast this evening . . .
Let the steak warm up to room temperature, lightly season with freshly ground black pepper & sea salt, then pan fry with butter & olive oil on high heat for two minutes per side. Transfer the steak onto an oven pan that has been roasting potatoes with herbs, and let it finish cooking in the oven for about 10 minutes.
For a tasty sauce to accompany your steak, fry some garlic & onions and add the pan drippings along with half a cup of red wine. Reduce the mixture by about half on the stove before serving over the steak that has had some time to rest.
This thick hefty piece of steak was tender, juicy, and large enough for the two of us to slowly savour and enjoy . . . Mmmm . . .
As we get closer to Summer, burgers come to mind . . .
Just so happens, the supermart is having a sale on ground sirloin this week; $9 for a pack of about a kg and a bit.
Season our fresh sirloin with some herbs, pepper, and a splash of red wine. Form into burgers and let them sit in the freezer for about 20 minutes so they will hold their shape when cooking.
In the meantime, slice the burger bun and lightly toast. Slice up some onions & tomatoes; and rinse some salad greens.
Now pan fry the semi frozen burgers and the onion slices. To assemble, we put tomato slices on the bottom piece of the buns, slide on our sirloin burger, top with fried onion rings and grated old cheddar cheese. Squirt ketchup & mustard on the top slice of the buns and we're ready to serve with greens on the side.
A juicy tasty meal in anticipation of summer . . .
Here's a one dish meal that's not difficult to prepare, and great for bringing to a gathering of friends & family . . .
I picked up some spice mix for Meat Masala at a local Indian grocery; it has cardamom, chilli, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, fenugreek seed, garlic, ginger, mace, nigella seed, nutmeg, paprika, salt, turmeric. You can get any similar mix at your local Asian store, or try to mix your own blend.
Cube some beef (or other meat you prefer) and marinade with red wine and some of the curry spice mix for at least an hour or more. Fry sliced red onions, chopped fresh garlic and grated young ginger with oil and butter in a large pot. Next add the beef and stir fry for several minutes, then add more curry mix till it reaches the right amount of spiciness for your taste, and two cups of water. I've added potatoes, carrots and mushrooms; you can add other vegetables you like too. Cover the pot and let it cook for half an hour on low heat; stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure the bottom of the pot does not burn.
It is ready to serve when the meat is tender. You can eat it on it's own, or serve with rice (Basmati is top grade Indian rice) or breads like naan, prata, roti, etc. I like to prepare this in advance, keep it in the fridge over night, and warm it up the next day for an even tastier curry after the sauce has had time to soak into the meat.
Family friends were in town from Australia, so we organized a sandwich challenge at my sister's place to see who could make the best burger, hot dog, sandwich or sub.
Eight of us from 3 families were treated to five creations from 4 participants of the cook-off. Let me now share with you our wonderful experiences and the results of this challenge . . .
Honourable mention goes to the dual creations of Kong Bak Pau - a muffin with Chinese style roasted pork belly and cucumber, and Veggie Burger - homemade corn bread topped with whole mushroom stuffed with homemade salsa. The muffin would make for a hearty breakfast, while the veggie is an excellent appetizer.
The second runner-up is Pate de Otak - barbecued spicy fish paste with cheese spread and cucumber in a toasted hot dog bun. This tasty dog will be a mighty good breakfast !
First runner-up position was awarded to Blasphemy - Focaccia bread with maple-mustard beef and fried mushrooms, topped with Feta cheese. This good sized sandwich is full flavoured and will make a great main course or a big snack.
