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Posts Tagged meat

Pasta with Spiced Prawns & Chorizo

Mar 6

Posted by admin in pasta, seafood, spanish, the recipes | No Comments

"A Spanish flavour in a hearty pasta meal."

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small onions , diced
  • 120g uncooked chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
  • 800g large tomatoes , chopped
  • 350g rigatoni
  • 200g large prawns , shells and tails removed if necessary, chopped
  • 2 large spring onions , thinly sliced, keep the whites and greens separate

Put the oil, onions and a good grind of pepper in a large, cold frying pan. Place over a low heat and slowly cook for 10 mins, stirring regularly, until softened.

Add the chorizo to the onions, turn up the heat (but not too much) and colour a little. When the orange oil is released into the pan, add the tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Stir over a medium heat – the tomatoes should literally melt in about 10 mins. If the sauce is not bubbling, turn up the heat a little. Gently simmer for a few mins more.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Add the prawns to the sauce, bring back to the boil and cook for 1 min until the prawns change colour. Drain the pasta and stir into the sauce with the spring onion whites. Cook and stir for 1 min. Serve sprinkled with the spring onion greens.

 

Source : Adapted from Good Food Magazine: September 2010

Servings/Yield :4 Servings

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Ready in just under an hour

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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Five Simple Steps to the Perfect Steak

Jan 9

Posted by admin in beef, the recipes | 1 Comment

Having a discernible talent of ruining perfectly good meat, I’ve constantly shied away from my carnivorous urges.  So home alone for the week, and allowing the opportunity to do my own shopping and cooking away from the girls, I picked up a ribeye and decided to dive right in and do it properly.

Step 1 – Prepare the steaks
• Allow to come to room temperature (for about 20 minutes).
Step 2 – Preheat your pan
• Heat a griddle or frying pan over a high heat until hot, but not smoking. (If the pan is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside is done, too cold, and your steaks will be tough).
• Brush the steaks with oil (to avoid using too much), or pour a little oil into the pan, and season if desired. (Canola or groundnut oil is best, but olive oil is fine too.)
• The steak should ‘sizzle’ when you place them in the pan.
Step 3 – rare, medium, or well done?
• For a medium steak: Cook on one side without touching for 3-4 minutes, then reduce to a medium heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Gently turn the steak over with a pair of tongs (don’t pierce it, or the juices will escape), and cook for a further 6 minutes. (You can vary the times here if you prefer a rare or well-done steak.)
• To see whether they’re ready, press the steak gently with your finger. Rare should be soft and supple, well done firm, and medium in-between.
Step 4 – Let your steaks rest
• Resting is just as important as cooking, as it allows the meat to become warm, moist and tender all the way through.
• Remove from the pan, place on a rack and cover with foil and leave in a warm place for up to 10 minutes. Remember it is always better to over-rest your steaks than to under-rest them. Resting helps the meat to achieve the full flavour and tenderness.
Step 5 – Serve your steaks
• Lay your table with razor-sharp, un-serrated steak knives designed to cut cleanly through the meat.
I found these tips in a couple of books and web sites, but the premise of the 5 step process was taken from the times online.  This project worked better than I thought, with a steak that tasted as good as a restaurant if not better.
Guide to steak cooking times
The times given here are a guide only and refer to a steak that is approximately 2.5cm or 1″ thick. Thicker steaks may require a longer cooking time, and vice versa for thinner steaks.
Rare: 1-2 minutes per side – rest for 6-8 minutes
Medium rare: 2-2.5 minutes per side – rest for 5 minutes
Medium: 3 minutes per side – rest for 4 minutes
Well done: 4.5 minutes per side – rest for 1 minute

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Steak and Ale Pie

Dec 11

Posted by the editor in beef, the recipes | No Comments

steakalepie

“Beer helps to tenderise the beef and imparts a delicious flavour”

Season the flour to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the steak in batches over a high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer the steak to a large saucepan.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently.

Transfer the onion and mushrooms to the saucepan along with the stock, ale, bay leaf, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato puree. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish. Reserve 150ml (5fl oz) of the gravy and pour the rest over the meat mixture. Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3mm and 5cm larger all round than the dish. Cut a 2cm strip from around the pastry, brush the rim of the dish with water, and place the strip on the rim. Brush with water. Place the pastry over the dish and press the pastry edges together to seal; trim off the excess with a knife.

Crimp the pastry edge. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate, if liked. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and make a hole in the middle for steam to escape. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and dark golden. Serve immediately, with the reserved gravy served separately.

Notes : Prepare ahead : Make the filling up to 24 hours ahead and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to make the pie.

Source : 1000 Recipes : Page 332 (aka. The Cooking Book)

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Rating : 4 out of 5

Preparation Times : Prep: 20 Minutes Cook: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Special Equipment : 9in (23cm) pie dish

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Dog\'s dinnerNot my sort of thingGood but not for meWould try againLoved it! (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Quick beef & broccoli one-pot

Oct 7

Posted by the editor in beef, the recipes | 1 Comment

1588_MEDIUM

“Create a delicious beef and broccoli meal in one pot, fast! Contains 2 of your 5-a-day”

  • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 50 g Unsalted Cashews
  • 400 g Frying Beef Steak, Cut Into Strips (Minute Steak)
  • 1 large Broccoli, Broken Into Florets
  • 4 Celery Sticks, Sliced
  • 150 ml Beef Stock
  • 2 tbsp. Horseradish Sauce (Colemans Horseradish works)
  • 2 tbsp. Low-Fat Fromage Frais (We used Soya Cream)

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the nuts and toss for a few secs until lightly toasted. Set aside.

Season the steak strips with plenty of pepper and stir-fry over a high heat for 1-2 mins to brown. Set aside with the nuts. Tip the broccoli and celery into the pan and stir-fry for 2 mins. Pour the stock over, cover and simmer for 2 mins. Meanwhile, mix the horseradish and fromage frais together.

Return the steak to the pan and toss with the veg, then sprinkle over the nuts and serve with the creamy horseradish. Great with mashed potatoes.

Notes : To make it with more vegetables add 2 sliced or crushed garlic cloves and more vegetables, such as sliced carrot, mushrooms, cabbage or leeks. Making it Oriental Season the steak with 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder. Use olive oil mixed with a little sesame oil for stir-frying and replace the horseradish sauce with soy sauce.

Source : Good Food : February 2006

Servings/Yield : 4 servings

Difficulty : Easy

Course : Main

Preparation Times : Prep: 10 Minutes Cook: 10 Minutes

Nutritional notes : Per Serving: 269 kcalories, protein 29g, carbohydrate 6g, fat 14 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 3g, salt 0.54 g

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