Archive for November, 2008

Hot and spicy beef stirfry

This is one of my girlfriend Catriona’s favourite dishes.

What you Need

  • Thinly sliced beef
  • Vegetables – Carrots, Broccoli, Mangetout, baby corn – M&S Chefs prepared vegetables
  • Vermicelli Noodles – 2 portions
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 Cloves of garlic – minced
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
  • 2 capfuls of Xiaoxing rice wine
  • 1 dash of Rice Vinegar
  • Sesame seed oil
  • Ground nut oil
  • Dark and light soy sauce

Preperation

  • Chop vegetables into bit size pieces.
  • Slice beef into bit size pieces.
  • Add some sesame seed and ground nut oil to your wok and heat on high.
  • Mince garlic.
  • Prepare 1tsp of chili powder and 1tsp of cayenne pepper and 1tbsp of sesame seeds.
  • Prepare noodles as directed for stir frying – For me i had to place the noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes.

Cooking

  1. Add the chili powder and cayenne pepper to the oil and mix.
  2. Add the garlic and let it reach a nice golden colour.
  3. Add your beef, make sure all the pieces have separated.
  4. Add 2 capfuls of rice wine plus 1 dash of rice vinegar and mix into the beef and oil.
  5. Once meat is browned, add all of the vegetables and mix into the sauce.
  6. When the vegetables are starting to get soft, add the sesame seeds and mix.
  7. Now add the noodles and mix thoroughly.
  8. Add some light soy for taste and dark soy for colour.
  9. Continue to fry for another minute until all the noodles have reached the same colour then serve.

Glazed filet steaks with mash and asparagus

What you need

  • 2 8oz filets
  • 2 cloves garlic, whole, lightly crushed
  • 1 Sprig rosemary
  • 1 Sprig thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Approx 250ml chicken stock – I used a stock cube to make this
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lemons, zested
  • Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
  • 500g of Maris Piper potatoes
  • 8 Asparagus tip

Mashed Potatoes

  1. Wash and peel potatoes.
  2. Chop potatoes in small cubes to cook faster.
  3. Place potatoes into the pot and run under cool water until all the starch has disappeared form the water.
  4. Add some sea salt and bring to the boil.
  5. Prick the potatoes with a fork, when they slide off easily you’ll know they’re done.
  6. Drain potatoes in a colander and leave them sitting in it with the lid left on top and allow to dry for a bit.
  7. Use a potato ricer to mince your potatoes into the pot
  8. Add some butter and milk to taste and mix thoroughly
Glazed Steak
  1. Heat a small bit of olive oil in a pan to a high heat
  2. Season your steaks with salt and pepper
  3. Place steaks onto the pan away from you and allow to sear
  4. Turn steaks with some thongs and do this for 2.5 minutes, the goal is to get a good colour on the steaks
  5. Once steaks are full seared, add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and thyme to the pan and allow to heat for a few seconds
  6. Add 1/4 of the stock to the pan, making sure it touches everything
  7. Roll the steaks in the stock to try and get a coating
  8. Once the stock is gone, keep adding a small bit at a time, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan
  9. Mix the ingredients in the stock again and keep coating the steaks
  10. Repeat this for 8 minutes.
Asparagus
  1. Prepare asparagus by chopping off the woody stalks
  2. Steam for 4-8 minutes until they have turned bright green
  3. Quickly sear in the pan after the steaks have been cooked to add more flavour
Gremolata
  1. Finely zest both lemons
  2. Finely chop some parsley
  3. Mix both and chill in the fridge until serving

Serving

  1. Lay 2 asparagus in the center of the plate. Roughly 9/10ths the length apart
  2. Place another 2 on top of those in the other direction to create a square
  3. Butterfly cut the steaks and place on top of the asparagus
  4. Sprinkle the gremolata on top of the steaks
  5. Add a dollop of mash on either side of the steak
  6. Drizzle a small bit of the pan juices all along the edge of the steak
  7. Serve