STEAK DIANE

I buy this cookbook several years ago which enchants me as I see a very popular recipe therein. Called Steak Diane, it is all the rage in New York City restaurants back in the 1950’s and 60’s. This beefsteak makes a lovely entree but what sets it apart from other steaks is its distinct preparation technique. Like the popular Crepes Suzette, Steak Diane is a flambé dish prepared tableside on a trolley (called a gueridon). The theatrics of the tableside cooking coupled with the flaming cognac makes Steak Diane a dining sensation.

The flambé process offers a captivating demonstration for onlooking diners, but aside from that charming amusement it also improves the taste, given that ignited alcohol intensifies the sauce’s flavour. It does this through a chemical process called carmelization, which causes the sugars to undergo complex changes, whilst for our purposes results in exponentially more deliciousness. Alcohol boils in a pan at 212F but igniting it directly raises the temperature to 300F +, which in turn elevates the flavour aspect to a more celestial dimension. All right, enough already.

If you want to add some excitement to a dinner party you could serve this retro dish. Not only will your guests be enthralled by the flambéing, which they probably haven’t experienced for awhile, they will also savour the taste of this elegantly finished beefsteak. Flambeing is not complicated, but please observe basic safety considerations just as you would when lighting a fireplace or whatever. You don’t want to meet your local fire department by accident, ne c’est pas?

Adapted from Craig Claiborne of the New York Times cookbook:

Steak Diane                                       serves 4

4 (3-ounce) filet mignon medallions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon clarified butter, or:

½ tablespoon butter plus ½ tablespoon olive oil

4 teaspoons minced shallots or the white part of scallions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup sliced white mushroom caps

1/4 cup brandy

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup reduced beef broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Bring the beef to room temperature. Season the beef medallions on both sides with the salt and pepper. Let sit 5 minutes prior to cooking.

Melt the butter/oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the meat and sear for 45 seconds on the first side. Turn and cook for 45 seconds on the second side.

 Lower heat a little to prevent scorching. Add the shallots and garlic to the side of the pan and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Place the meat on a plate and cover to keep warm.

 Depending on how you want your steak cooked, you can use your hand to judge doneness. Take your non-dominant hand and press your index finger to your thumb. Touch with the other hand. That is how the meat should feel for cooked rare. Thumb and middle finger for medium rare, thumb and ring finger for medium and thumb and little finger for well done.

Off heat, tilt the pan towards you and add the brandy.

Tip the pan away from yourself and ignite the brandy with a match.

When the flame has burned out, add the mustard and cream.

Mix thoroughly and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the beef broth and simmer for 1 minute.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.

Return the meat plus any accumulated juices to the pan and turn the meat to coat with the sauce.

There you have it. If it’s okay to play with matches you can make a spellbinding beef presentation that delights the eyes and the taste buds one after the other.

Steak Diane goes well with a simple sautéed potato dish or a rice pilaf. Just remember to observe caution with that open flame.

A TASTY BREAKFAST SANDWICH

We go to help our granddaughter conduct a yard sale recently and stop at a supermarket for a few groceries. While there my BW spots a sale on pita bread and we buy some.

So yesterday she wants her breakfast and requests the oft asked for cheese eggs. I said “OK” and then she says “with mushrooms”. I’m almost out of the room but said “OK”. Approaching the kitchen I faintly hear her say “and tomatoes”. I holler back” OK”. I’m getting out the equipment and in a few moments she glides into the kitchen adroitly and asks for bacon with it. I said “OK”, and as she leaves the kitchen she deftly pivots and asks for a little chopped raw red onion on it and to have it in pita bread. I said “OK” as I got some more groceries from the icebox. I double checked the order with her and proceeded to prepare it.

She loves the delightfully pleasant aromatic sandwich and raves about the superb taste. I want to share this with you because if the Education Tipster likes it (with her discriminating taste), you probably will too.

Pita Breakfast Sandwich                     serves one

Ingredients

1 loaf of pita bread

2 eggs, beaten

2 slices bacon cooked crisply

½ cup sliced mushrooms

½ tomato diced

1 slice red onion, diced

½ cup shredded Asiago cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook the bacon, put a screen over the skillet and lay the pitas on it to gently warm them

While the bacon is crisping, shred the cheese and dice the tomato and onion. Put them in a bowl

Slice the mushrooms, add to the bowl and divide the pita bread into two halves

Open the pita halves like a taco shell

 In a warm skillet over medium heat, containing a little bacon fat, or butter, or light olive oil, put in the beaten eggs

Evenly distribute the cheese, tomato, mushrooms and crumbled bacon atop the eggs

Add salt and pepper

After a few moments you’ll see the eggs setting a little at the edges lift up some edges and let egg run underneath. Start scrambling the entire mixture until it is fully cooked.

Put half of the eggs into each pita half and top with the red onion.

It’s not an egg  Mac’muffin, it’s much better.

RED GREEN BEAN CURRY

When I was very young, the stoplights in the city were different than today.  Back then they were only red and green, with no yellow light in between.  Instead of yellow, when the green was changing to red, the red would come on with the green, letting drivers know it was about to be red only.

 In the grocery store you can get a “stoplight” package of one each - red, yellow and green pepper. The three colours together remind you of the stoplight and are really very appealing to the eye.

Okay, great, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?   Well, I was thinking about the “stoplight” package and the old traffic lights after I made a Thai red curry recently. 

My BW loves those very wide green beans, the ones called Kentucky wonder or Italian beans.  I decided to try a curry with them, and use a red- curry paste base. The first preparation was good enough for seconds and then I thought about adding tofu to boost the protein.

What follows is a great curry, featuring green beans in a red sauce; a red, green bean curry.  It’s not surreal; it’s surprisingly special in a simple, straightforward way.

Red Green Bean Curry                         serves 4

Ingredients:

1- Pound (500g) green beans

1- 13 ounce (400ml) can of coconut milk

1- Tablespoon bottled red curry paste

1 or 2 red chilies, chopped (optional, red paste may be spicy enough)

½ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon of grated lime rind, the green part only

½ cup small button mushrooms (optional)

4 ounces (125g) firm tofu, drained and diced

1 tablespoon oil, such as light olive or safflower, or your personal choice

3 scallions (green onions) sliced thinly

½ cup (125ml) coriander leaves, minced

Method:

• Cut the beans into about 2-inch (5-cm pieces)
• Pour the coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Turn heat to high.
• Add the red curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, grated lime rind, paprika and chilies (if using)
• Combine thoroughly and then add the beans and bring just to the boil
• While pot is heating,  fry the tofu in the oil on all sides
• When beans come to the boil, lower heat to a simmer and add the browned tofu.
• Stir the pot and add the mushrooms if using.
• Simmer the pot for 5 minutes then taste- check beans for doneness.
• When beans are tender to your taste, they are ready to serve.

The curry should have a warm, reddish colour. I didn’t, but you could fry the raw beans in oil and then add to the coconut milk.

You could skip the mushrooms and tofu and this will still remain a lovely green bean dish.  But, if you have them, use them.

So, if you’re bored with green beans but still have plenty in your freezer, stop and go try this preparation, it will revive your interest in them.

LASAGNA FOR VEGGIE LOVERS

Italian dishes cooked al forno are often too heavily laden with cheese or sauce and are not very interesting.  I got a little weary of eating lasagna after awhile, the predictable ground beef, tomato sauce, and plethora of cheese became tiresome.  But baked pastas don’t have to be this way. 

 

So when my BW wants to have a group of neighbours from the block over, and says to make Lasagna, I make my personal vegetable lasagna along with focaccia.  Everyone loved it.  There is a little detail involved, but all in all, preparing vegetable lasagna is not tedious, and can be a welcome change from the typical lasagna you so often encounter. The clean taste and lovely texture of the vegetables is very appealing along with the light, almost delicate, cheese and sauce. Each time I make this dish with these particular vegetables, everyone is satisfied. I think you will be as well.

 

VEGETABLE LASAGNA        serves 8

 

Ingredients:

12 Lasagne noodles

½ cup dry marsala wine

1 onion, chopped finely

3 cups mushrooms, sliced (about 8 ounces)

2 large Zucchini, shredded (about 4 cups)

2 red bell peppers, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh tender spinach, chopped

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 lb. (500 grams) fresh ricotta cheese

1 cup of cottage cheese

1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup of marinara sauce

1 cup of shredded provolone or asiago cheese

 

Method:

• Heat oven to 425F (220C). Grease lightly or spray with nonstick spray a 3-quart (13x9 inch) baking dish.
• Cook lasagne noodles as package directs. Then drain.
• While noodles cook, bring Marsala to the boil in a large saucepan and put in the onion.
• Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly and check liquid level, adding water if necessary.
• Add spinach, basil and oregano and cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain.
• Thoroughly combine the ricotta, parmesan and cottage cheeses in a bowl.
• Install 3 noodles in the bottom of the prepared dish.
• Top with1/3rd of the cheese mixture and 1/3rd of the vegetable mixture.
• Repeat this layering twice more.
• Top with the remaining noodles, the marinara sauce and the shredded cheese.  Get some aluminum foil, spray one side and cover the dish tightly.
• Bake at 425F (220C) for 25 minutes.
• Uncover the dish and bake 5 minutes more, making the top golden brown.

Let rest for 5 minutes, and then serve. Enjoy.

BOEF A LA NEWFANGLED MODE

When I was very young, the first meal I prepared was a remarkable recipe called “boef a la mode” from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Tasting it while it was braising, I could tell it was special, and when I served it, everyone raved over the sensational taste. The beef was exceedingly tender and flavourful, and the sauce was divine. But somewhere along the way I lost that book and never made the dish again.

Recently, I am talking about food with a good cook, and the talk turns to pot roast. My mom used to make a pot roast when I was a child, and I remember she used a stale end chunk of rye bread in it to help thicken it. My friend and I agreed that using bones makes a wonderful unctuous broth, but he says last time he had no bones and tried a packet of gelatin in its place to good success. I want to try that.

I decide to prepare boef a la mode again, this time sans bones. Judging from my BW’s reaction, it is something to behold. Since it’s something I want all to taste, I’m writing it all down here. With all due respect to the exalted Miss Child, here is how I do it.

Ingredients:

1 boneless eye of chuck roast (about 4 lbs)
1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt
Enough ground pepper to season beef
3 cups of red wine (a medium bodied wine you like to drink)
5 strips of bacon
1 ½ cups of finely chopped onion
1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons flour
20 ounces beef broth
6 carrots, cleaned and cut into about 1 inch slices
2 turnips, peeled and quartered
3 onions, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
½ tablespoon white sugar
½ cup water
½ lb mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half
1 tablespoon unflavoured gelatin powder
1 bunch parsley- set aside a small handful of leaves and mince them.
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Method:

Take the meat and separate it into two halves where the muscle is. You can almost pull it apart barehanded, or use a paring knife to aid you. You can trim off any excess fat now.

Season each half all over with salt and put into a colander over a flat pan for one hour at room temperature.

Reduce the wine over medium flame to 2 cups, takes about 10 minutes.

Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaves or encase in a metal tea ball, if big enough.

Pre-heat oven to 300F (150C) and put rack in lower third.

Dry surface of beef with paper towel and lightly sprinkle ground black pepper all over.

Get 6 lengths of kitchen string and tie 3 around each piece of beef.

Cook bacon in skillet till crisp. Remove, drain and crumple. Keep skillet nearby.

Put 3 tablespoons of bacon fat in a Dutch oven over high flame. When very hot, brown the beef thoroughly on all sides. Take your time because this is important. As each piece is well browned, remove to a platter.

Lower flame to medium and add the onion, stirring now and again until softened. Then add the garlic, flour and crumpled bacon pieces. Stir for about a minute, and then add the concentrated wine, beef broth, herbs and peppercorns. Scrape the pan with spatula to loosen bottom.

Put platter of beef plus juices on platter into the Dutch oven. Turn flame up and bring to simmer. Put the cover on; make sure it is not loose.

Put the Dutch oven in the oven. Set your timer. Each hour (set timer for 1 hour 3 times) turn meat over in the Dutch oven (carefully- use tongs or two spatulas). For last hour, add carrots and turnips. There should be plenty of liquid in pot, if necessary add water.

Meanwhile, Put onions, butter, sugar and ½ cup water in that skillet, turn flame high.

Cover skillet, turn heat down and cook 5 minutes.

Uncover, raise flame and cook until liquid is boiled off. Add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and cook stirring often until vegetables are browned, about 10 minutes.

Remove from stove. Sprinkle the gelatin powder into ¼ cup cold water.

When beef is done, put in platter again to rest. Use the foil to cover it loosely.

Let braising liquid cool off. Skim off any excess fat. Take out the herbs bundle and put in onion mixture. Simmer until thickened over medium flame for about 20 minutes. You should have a lot of sauce. Taste and perhaps add a little salt and pepper.

Add the gelatin and stir thoroughly.

After beef has sat awhile and cooled off remove string and slice.

Serve with the vegetables.

This dish is a couple hundred years old, but still good. It is not an everyday dish, but once in awhile… as a special dish… hey, it’s good groceries.

DAIRY DIARY: SOUR CREAM PART III

There are a lot of good uses for sour cream. My Hungarian grandmother used to make a sour cream soup that was delicious, and my beloved spouse loves mushrooms in sour cream. For dessert, you are sure to savor a sour cream pound cake.

Here they are, submitted for your culinary approval.

NANA’S SOUR CREAM SOUP serves 4-6

½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 ½ quarts chicken stock, reserve a little cold stock for the paste
12 ounces sour cream
1/3 cup of flour
Three slices stale rye bread, cut into croutons
Butter for frying the croutons

· Bring stock to boil, lower heat, toss in the seeds and simmer 15 minutes.
· Stir the sour cream and flour together and add a little cold stock to make a paste.
· Slowly add the paste to the simmering stock and stir until blended.
· Keep stirring until stock thickens.
· Fry the croutons until crisp.
· Serve soup in soup plates or bowls and garnish with croutons.

MUSHROOMS IN SOUR CREAM serves 4

4 tablespoons butter
11/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
2 large onions, minced
1 cup beef consommé or broth, save a little to mix with flour
2 tablespoons flour
16 ounces sour cream

· Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet and brown the mushrooms. Remove to a dish.
· Cook the onions in the rest of butter until transparent.
· Add the mushrooms back in, add the broth and simmer.
· Take the reserved broth and mix with the flour.
· Whisk the paste into the skillet until thickened.
· Add the sour cream and simmer for 5 minutes.


SOUR CREAM POUND CAKE

1 cup butter
1 cup honey
6 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sour cream
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

· Cream the butter and honey in a large mixing bowl.
· Beat in the eggs, one at a time
· Add the extract and sour cream and beat well
· Mix in the flour and baking soda
· Pour the batter into a well greased, flour dusted 9 inch springform pan.
· Bake 1 ½ hours, a knife inserted in center should come up clean.
· Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes before removing, at which time you could frost it if you wish.

A simple frosting of 1 cup honey, 1 cup cream cheese plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond) is nice. Beat all together and use at once. If still not rich enough, add nuts and apply to cake quickly after mixed.

These sour cream excursions are a delight to the taste buds, but perhaps best not all at one sitting. Please enjoy responsibly.