Grill Interrupted

I get lots of food related questions from friends, family and the mildly acquainted.

“I’m having a party, what should I make?”

“I’m out of X, can I use Y?”

“If I buy it, will you cook it?”

As I’m going to be posting a Chinese recipe this weekend for Crispy Orange Beef, I thought it would be helpful to post some of the most frequently asked questions about stir-frying beef:

Should I buy the butcher/grocery store prepackaged stir-fry beef?

No. There are a few things working against you here:

1. The fresher the beef the better. When a piece of beef has been sliced up and prepackaged, the surface area exposed to oxygen is that much greater. This means the beef is less fresh, less juicy, and less ideal.
2. Last time I checked there is no cut of beef called the “stir-fry”. If a butcher has not disclosed what cut of beef this is from, it is likely because he doesn’t want you to know. 

             

OK smart guy, what beef should I be buying for stir-fry?

I heard a great beef tip (no pun intended) the other day. In essence, anyone who wants a tender piece of beef should remember – the front of the cow is for roping, and the back end is for branding. Anything in between is A-OK when it comes to eating. 

The tough muscles in the neck of the cow (such as the brisket) require hours and hours to breakdown. Clearly not what we’re looking for. The round, or rump, at the other end spends so much time being exercised it too is much too tough for this use.

Ideally, you’re going to want a cut that’s tender, juicy, but not overly fatty. Any of the fillet, sirloin, flank, or skirt will do nicely.

How do you prepare stir-fry so that it’s soft & tender and not tough & chewy?

1. Cutting: Once you’ve purchased your cut of beef and brought it home, cut it into thin slices, across the grain,  approximately one inch in length. Try to keep them evenly sized to ensure even cooking. Cutting across the grain will ensure you have no tough strands in your final dish.
2. Preparation: You may have come across the term velveting or silkening the beef (or chicken). This is a Chinese method of treating beef with cornstarch and rice wine. It gives the protein a tender, velvety texture. It is a MUST for Chinese cooking. If the recipe you’re using skips this step… then skip the recipe!
3. Cooking: Don’t overcook your beef. Fresh beef will cook very quickly when flash fried or stir-fried over high heat. Keeping cooking temperatures high and cooking times low will ensure you get beef that melts in your mouth instead of wrestling it with each bite. 

Hope this helps – feel free to fire any additional questions my way.

Filed under: Method on May 6th, 2010 | 2 Comments »

                                                        

I had so much success the last time I cooked pasta for Kristin– I figured why stop a good thing? When I found out she’d be joining us for dinner this past weekend I sent her a few pasta dishes to choose from.

This pasta dish was bang on. The crisp, bright green asparagus adds great contrast in both texture and colour to an otherwise neutral dish. The mushroom-cheese sauce pools just perfectly in the pasta shells, creating little flavour pockets that burst  every time you eat another mouthful. The pepperiness of the Boursin cheese reminds you that this isn’t your kids’ mac ‘n cheese – but still wraps you in the warm blanket that only  comfort food can provide.

Kristin, you chose wisely…

                                                               

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Pasta Shells with Baby Bella Mushrooms, Asparagus, and Boursin Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced (alternately: use portobello mushrooms, stems removed, sliced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
5 1/2 ounces pepper Boursin cheese
1 pound asparagus
3/4 pound medium pasta shells

Preparation:

1. In a large frying pan, melt the butter with the oil over Medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms and salt, and cook until the mushrooms are tender and browned, about 8 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chicken broth and cheese and bring to a simmer while stirring.
4. Snap the ends off the asparagus and discard. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until almost done, about 6 minutes. Add the asparagus until both are done, about 4 minutes longer.
5. Drain. Toss with the mushroom-cheese sauce.

Filed under: Recipe on May 3rd, 2010 | 8 Comments »

                                                               

Sandwiches and me – we get along. There may be a finite number of ingredients in the fridge at any given time, but there’s almost an infinte number of combinations one can come up with using those tasty tidbits.

Hence, lunch time never seems to be a PBJ around these parts. There is always some grand idea I roll around in my head between when I put the last spoon of breakfast in my mouth until I head to the kitchen to start working on lunch.

As I don’t eat pork/ham, the Cuban has always been elusive. So tantilizingly out of reach. When I came across this recipe I knew it had my name written all over it.

The addition of a bit of cranberry jam/jelly to the Dijonnaise adds a great sweet twist on the original I think you’ll enjoy. Feel free to compile the non-vegetarian version. I’m sure it’d be delicious!

                                                   

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Vegetarian Turkey Cuban

Adapted from Southern Living

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dijonnaise
2 tablespoons cranberry jelly/jam
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 slices crusty bread
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices vegetarian ham
6 slices vegetarian turkey
4 baby dill pickles, sliced
4 tablespoons mayonnaise

Preparation:

1. Whisk together the cranberry and Dijonnaise in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Put the bread on a flat surface and spread each slice with some of the Dijonnaise mixture. Top 2 of the slices of bread with a slice and a half of cheese, the ham, turkey, another slice and a half of cheese and pickles. Place the remaining bread on top.
3. Heat a skillet over Medium heat.
4. Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on top of each sandwich and place in the skillet, mayonnaise side down. Press down occasionally to flatten and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
5. Spread the top of the sandwiches with additional mayonnaise, turn over and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes more.
6. Cut in half and serve warm.

Filed under: Compilation, Recipe on April 28th, 2010 | 1 Comment »