Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Grilled steak with creamy Garlic Mushroom sauce.

Grilled Steak with Garlic Mushroom sauce

Equipment
·      Small fry pan
·      Chopping board and sharp knife
·      Measuring cup/spoons
·      Tongs
·      Serving plate
·      Ramekin for sauce

Ingredients
·      Rump steak, 2 portions, needs to be trimmed of fat and silver skin
·      Mushrooms, 2, sliced
·      Garlic, 1 clove or ¼ tsp, crushed and diced finely
·      Cream, 1/8 cup (3 Tbspns)
·      Seasonings (salt/pepper/herbs)
·      Butter for mushrooms.
·      Oil for frying

Method
1.    Slice up the mushrooms and crush/dice the garlic.
2.    Heat up the small fry pan (medium heat) and add butter.
3.    Quickly add garlic, then mushrooms.
4.    Toss and fry until soft.
5.    Add the cream, reduce the heat and simmer until thick.
6.    Pour out the sauce into a mixing bowl and keep warm. Season if required.
7.    Clean the fry pan and reheat.
8.    Wait until the pan is hot before adding a small amount of oil.
9.    Fry the steak one piece at a time, waiting for the blood to come through before turning over.
10.  Test for “degrees of doneness” before removing from pan. Poke the meat with your finger.
11. Rest the meat on a plate for 5 minutes before serving with the sauce.

Things to remember:
·      The steak should be at room temperature before cooking (bring out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking).
·      Trim the steak of fat and silver skin.
·      Heat up the pan to medium hot.
·      Add a little oil. Grilled, not deep fried.
·      Season the steak after cooking.
·      Flip only once. Wait for the cooking juice to come through before flipping.
·      Cook to correct Degrees of Doneness
1.    Blue (very rare)
2.    Rare
3.    Medium rare
4.    Medium
5.    Well done
6.    Very well done
See the pictures for a better idea. Also use the finger poke test. Fatter steak will take longer to cook in the middle.

·      Resting the meat for 5 minutes after cooking allows the muscle fibers to relax which means the meat is more tender and easier to cut/chew. This should be applied to all meats after cooking.



Sunday, August 28, 2016

Banana Cake with Chocolate icing.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing

Equipment
·      Small cake tin (greased and floured)     
·      Sharp knife
·      Mixing bowl
·      Measuring cups/spoons
·      Wooden spoon
·      Whisk
·      Sieve
·      Cooling rack

Ingredients
·      Butter, 75g, soft
·      Sugar, ½ cup
·      Eggs, 1
·      Soft banana, 1/2 large mashed (or 1 small mashed)
·      Vanilla essence, ¼ tsp
·      Flour, 1 cup
·      Baking soda, ½ tsp
·      Salt, ¼ tsp
·      Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp
·      Milk, 1/4 cup
·      Lemon juice, ½ tsp

Method
1.    Cream butter and sugar until light.
2.    Beat in the egg.
3.    Stir in mashed banana and vanilla.
4.    Sieve in the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda).
5.    Fold into creamed mixture with milk and lemon juice.
6.    Pour into the greased and floured cake tin.
7.    Bake at 1800C for 20-30 minutes until cooked.
8.    Remove from oven and let cool down before turning out.
9.    Ice with chocolate icing.

Icing
·      Icing sugar, ½ cup
·      Cocoa, 1 tsp
·      Butter, 2 knobs, melted
·      Hot water, 2-3 tsp



Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Marinated Chicken with Potato Salad.

 Marinated Chicken with Potato Salad
Equipment
·      Wooden chopping board
·      Sharp knife
·      Tongs
·      3 Pots (per table)
·      Enamel dish for chicken
·      Oven tray
·      Peeler
·      Sieve
·      Large Mixing bowl

Ingredients
·      Chicken breast, 1
·      Selection of marinades (vinegars, sauces, seasonings)
·      Potatoes, 1 large or 2 medium or 3 small per group
·      Spring onion, 2 lengths of stalk
·      Eggs, 2
·      Mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp
·      Salt/pepper, to taste

Method
Oven on to 1800C
1.    Mix up marinade (no more than ¼ cup) and pour into the enamel dish. Roll the chicken in the marinade and place in the fridge. Take note of where you leave it.
2.    Fill up a pot ½ full of hot water and bring to the boil (high heat). Add a pinch of salt.
3.    Wash, peel and wash the potatoes. Dice up (1-2cm2 ) and place in pot.
4.    Boil potatoes until just soft (10-15 minutes).
5.    Slice up spring onion while waiting.
6.    Drain through sieve and let cool down.
7.    Place the eggs in the clean pot, cover with warm water and bring to boil.
8.    Boil for 8 minutes and then run under cold water for 2 minutes.
9.     Peel the eggs and dice up.
10.  Add cooled potatoes, egg and spring onion together in a bowl with the mayonnaise and mix together.
11.  Remove chicken from the fridge and roast in oven for 20 minutes on the oven tray. Cook until no more blood can be seen and flesh is white. Use the tongs to turn the chicken over.
12. Remove the chicken from oven and slice. Make sure the chicken is cooked properly. Serve slices of chicken on a mound of potato salad.