High Steaks

As a steak lover I try to consume organic , sustainable and aged beef whenever I eat steak which is about twice a month. Obviously the traits I mentioned above come with a price and so over time I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to find the best cheap cuts and optimum ways to extract the tenderness and flavor you would expect from an expensive cut like the filet mignon or the rib-eye. One of my favorite economy cuts is a bit rare as most chain groceries make two cuts out of the same peice of meat . Top sirloin is the length of muscle right below the tenderloin. Scientifically called the biceps femoris , its nearness to the kidney gives it a more mineral flavor which is quite unique. Since this muscle does not have a lot of fat marbling and hence is a lot leaner , it is sold cheaper than its neighbors tenderloin and sirloin. When cut french style which is in steaks of at least 2 inch thickness , it offers the home cook a chance to cook it in a tender, delicious way. The thickness is important while cooking as it helps keep the lean inside moist and tender while searing the steak on the outside. Only a handful of meat shops that I know carry thick steaks of Top Sirloin. In Seattle A&J Meats shop in Queen Anne and all the Whole foods shops come to mind.

Pan seared top sirloin with potato and pea hash and blue cheese sauce:


~Heat pan on really high heat with a tblspn of canola till the oil starts to slightly burn . Season room temperature steak generously on both sides with fresh ground pepper and sea salt and introduce in the pan .
~Without disturbing the steak sear on one side for 4 mins , then the other for 3 mins and then turn heat down to medium.
~Add two pats of butter with two cloves of garlic and a sprig of thyme to the pan and baste the meat for about 2-3 mins.
~Introduce the pan in a 400 degee oven for 5-10 mins , depending on the thickness of the steak.
~The goal it to get the inside of the steak to 130 degrees which is medium rare.
~Remove steak from oven and rest on a dry room temp. plate for about 5 mins before slicing for presentation.

Lamb kebabs , chickpea masala , mint sauce

Start out with never frozen freshly ground lamb ... highlight one spice and add few others for certain high notes and cook the kebabs to medium (150 degrees) . What you will get is the bold flavor of lamb enhanced by its own tenderness and mouth feel with the zing and slight aroma of earthy spices.

Cumin scented Lamb Kebabs:

2 lbs of freshly ground lamb
1 large red onion, finely diced
6 cloves finely diced garlic
1 tblspn diced ginger
1 large egg
3 tblspns chickpea flour
1 tblspns cumin powder
1/2 tblspn garam masala
4-5 sprigs of finely chopped cilantro
lemon juice from one medium lemon
1/2 to 1 tblspn of kashmiri lal mirch ( less pungent variety of chilli powder )
1.5 tblspns of salt
1/2 tblspn ground black pepper.

-Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl for about 5 mins till they look homogenized.
-Rest the mixture in the fridge for 1-2 hours for the flavors to meld.
-Remove mix from fridge and rest for about 30 mins so that the mix comes to around room temperature.
-Gouge a small amount from the mix ( enough to make a oversized meatball) and roll it in your palm , then flatten two opposite sides and then flatten the edges to make the shape of a small round box. The box should be about 1/2 inch thick with a diameter of two inches.
-Heat a pan to medium with tblspn of canola oil , and fry the kebabs for about 4 mins each, or till the side touching the pan is caramalized to a golden brown. (no oil is needed as the lamb consists of about 20% fat, but the canola keeps the kebabs from burning)
-Then either shove the pan in a 350degree oven for 5 mins or cover the pan with a aluminum foil and let it sit on a really low flame for 7-8 mins.

Chickpea Masala:

1 can chickpea , drained and rinsed.
1 small red onion , julienned
2 diced roma tomatoes
2 seranno chilis , finely chopped
4 cloves garlic , finely diced
1 bay leaf
pinch of brown mustard seeds
pinch of cumin seeds
2 cloves
1/2 teaspn turmeric powder
1tblspn cumin powder
3/4 tblspn vinegar
1 tplspn salt
roughly chopped cilantro leaves for garnish.

- Heat oil on a medium flame in a pan .
- introduced mustard seeds and cumin seeds after a while , they should start sputtering immediately.
- add the cloves, bay leaf, ginger , garlic and fry for about a min without letting the garlic burn
- add the onions with a pinch of salt and saute till the onions became translucent
- add the tomatoes with rest of the spices and vinegar and thoroughly mix for about a min
- then add the chickpeas with rest of the salt , cover and cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes.

Mint sauce:

3-4 ounces mint leaves , washed and roughly chopped
2 tble spoons of diced ginger
1/2 tblspn salt
1/4 tblspn ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream.
1 teaspoon of mild tamarind water (for acidity and balance)

-Blend all ingredients thoroughly in a blender, then strain it through a seive for a smooth finish.

Fish in a pond

The swish of a knife the sizzle on a pan
Sweet sweat on the clavicle of a recognizable tan

As I sneak on the bearer the fritters come alive
In a frenzy of grease they begin to jive

The bearer undaunted turns about face with guile
With a hot flat handle she threatens awhile

But the mirth on her face has put me to ease
The fritters keep popping the sweat doesn't seize

Just then in that moment of unfettered love
White froth in steel threatens to run amok

With seconds to spare the golden beads are mixed
The burgeoning broth of goodness ceases to resist

As the clock chimes the fifth time and the sun starts to alight
The aroma of the broth and the sweat seem just right

Like yesterday the heavenly sip has renewed the bond
O' mother without you I would be a fish without a pond.

Soul Soup for a Chicken

That is what I felt like last week ..all cooped up in my room with a nasty cold. My words sounding like 'cluck cluck' or even less coherent. Since I had been trying to rid my pantry of all processed foods , there was nothing I had that could be shoved in the microwave for a hot dinner so I decided to experiment with soup cooked from scratch. Not only did it turn out to be the best soup I have ever made .... this chicken could pretty much fly after the last drop hit the back of my sore throat.

Soul Soup:

What you need:

About half a pound of frozen or fresh chicken with bones (wings , legs, thighs ..the works).
Three chopped carrots , six chopped stalks of celery , one large diced onions , four cloves of garlic, six sprigs of thyme, soy sauce , chili sauce , patience.

How to make it:

In a large pot with six cups of water add the chicken with three pinches of salt and pepper and bring to a boil on high heat.
Once the water has been boiling for about a minute, add the celery, carrots , onions , garlic , thyme and reduce the heat to medium ..cook a further 20 minutes.
Extract the chicken and discard the thyme. Pull chicken from bone with a fork or fingers and reintroduce the bare bones to the pot...cook a further 20 minutes.
Extract the bones for the last time and blend the contents of the pot in batches to a smooth consistency.
In the last batch add about a fifth of the pulled chicken , a pinch of salt and pepper and blend away.
Introduce all blended batches with rest of the pulled chicken back to the pot and add a couple dashes of soy sauce and red chili sauce ( adding a little extra soul to the soup) and adjust the seasoning.

Serve hot and top it up with shredded parmesan and spring onions.

p.s: I didn't actually fly , but I did feel rejuvenated enough to walk across the street to the pharmacy to buy cough syrup.

Pasta alla Valentine

In his book 'Kitchen Confidential' Tony Bourdain brags about secret ingredients that restaurants use to make restaurant food taste... well 'restauranty'. One of those ingredients is shallots. When used as a replacement or addition to onions they are supposed to make the food taste far superior according to Bourdain. Being greatly influenced by the book I started using this small pink onion like vegetable soon thereafter. They are available in most grocery stores in the US and many bhaji gallis in Bombay and albeit a little expensive than their cheap counterparts (onions and leeks) they taste far superior and more fragrant. I use them mainly to enhance the sometimes bland pasta sauces you find in supermarkets like I did this valentine's day to shimmy up a romantic meal for me and my sweetheart.

Spinach and Chicken Alfredo with thin Spaghetti.

Recipe:

Fry about 4 finely chopped shallots and 3 finely sliced cloves of garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add a finely chopped red hot chili pepper if you want add a little spice (spicy = sexy). Saute till shallots are soft but don't let them burn. You can add a pinch of salt and pepper over here. Add diced chicken and saute on medium till chicken turns white ,then a little brown on the edges and the water drawn out by the salt evaporates. Add baby spinach leaves ( about two handfuls because they wilt and greatly reduce in size). Once the spinach wilts , add one whole cup of store bought Alfredo sauce, turn heat on low and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Serve on top of thin spaghetti or pasta of your choice.

The aroma of the shallots and garlic is a killer ...and with some white wine your date can't go wrong, all other factors considered!