Author Archives: Gary

About Gary

I like to cook, photograph and eat food. I'm an occasional podcaster too. I have a weekly diary blog named My Thoughts and Stuff, this is where I share what's been happening in my life for the preceding week. When I'm not cooking I'm practising medicine. You can find more information at my about.me page. I'm based in Canberra, Australia, so the food and recipes I share will tend to be seasonal and regional to Australia, but I hope if you're from somewhere else you'll find these recipes adaptable to suit your needs. Feel free to send me an e-mail if you have any questions.

Lamb shank and potato mash

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

I hope you’ve had a good week.

Tonight’s meal isn’t anything special. Typically, I have some idea during the week what I’ll be cooking; however, this week, it wasn’t until I started grocery shopping that I decided to buy a pair of lamb shanks.

I reached a new minimum weight today, so I thought potato mash would be a nice treat.

Today's weight chart reveals a new minimum weight

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Microwave radiation oven

Ingredients

  • Lamb shanks – two “drumsticks.”
  • Ginger marmalade – one tablespoon
  • French onion soup mix – salt-reduced version
  • Birds Eye potato mash – one packet
  • Carrot – one carrot cut into chunks.
  • Celery – a couple of stalks
  • A brown onion ­– one roughly chopped.

Instructions

Lamb

  1. Put the celery, carrot, and onion in the pressure cooker.
  2. Empty the French onion soup packet mix into the pressure cooker.
  3. Add the marmalade.
  4. Pour in some boiling water.
  5. Add the lamb.
  6. Cook for one hour under pressure.
  7. Remove the lid.
  8. Remove the lamb, keep one warm, and refrigerate the other.
  9. Sieve the cooking liquor and simmer to reduce it to syrup.

Potato

  • Prepare the potato mash as per the instructions on the packaging.

Plating up

  1. Spread the potato mash on a dinner plate.
  2. Place a lamb shank on the mash.
  3. Spoon some of the syrup over the lamb.
  4. Give thanks to the Lord.
  5. Eat with a fork.

Photographs

Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce

Final thoughts

Have a good week. Catch you next Saturday.

Extras

I recently bought an air fryer so I will try duck breast in the air fryer tomorrow.

Dry brining duck breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder

I’ll cook this duck breast in a water bath sometime during the week. It’s currently in the freezer with some navel orange and golden syrup.

Duck breast with navel orange and golden syrup in a vacuum bag

Meaty legumes and pasta

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

Last week I shared a vegan legume soup. This week I’m adding meat and pasta. 

The meat will change its flavour profile, and rather than a soup; it will become a stew. 

I’m trying a low-carbohydrate and high-protein pasta to see what it tastes like. The CSIRO TWD lists San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta. 

Cans of Borlotti beans, lentils, and tomato

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 
  • Stainless steel saucepan 

Ingredients 

  • 50 mL olive oil
  • Two stalks of celery 
  • One diced carrot 
  • One small onion, chopped 
  • Two cloves of garlic – chopped 
  • 240 g (drained) canned Borlotti beans 
  • 240 g (drained) canned lentils 
  • 750 mL vegetable stock 
  • 210 g crushed canned tomatoes 
  • Fresh rosemary, to taste 
  • 2–3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste 
  • Salt to taste 
  • Rolled boneless Australian lamb shoulder 
  • San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta 

Instructions 

  1. Add the oil into a high-sided saucepan, then add the chopped celery, carrot, onion and garlic clove.
  2. Sauté together over medium heat. Add the curry powder and rosemary leaves when the onion has become translucent.
  3. Pour a little stock to remove the fond from the saucepan and then decant to the pressure cooker.
  4. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, and vegetable stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  5. Place the lamb into the cooking vessel. 
  6. To add an extra kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid.
  7. Cook under pressure for about 60 minutes. 
  8. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally, and open the cover. 
  9. Take the meat out and break it up in a bowl. It should be tender enough to pull apart. 
  10. Transfer the remaining contents into a saucepan and bring to a simmer to reduce. 
  11. Add the meat and stir with a spoon when the soup becomes more like a stew. 
  12. Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packaging. 
  13. Spoon the pasta into a bowl and add some meaty legume stew. 
  14. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  15. Eat with a spoon. 

Photographs 

Cans of borlotti beans, lentils, and tomato
Lamb shoulder rolled roast
San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta
Pulled lamb shoulder meat
San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta

Legume soup

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

It’s a cool, overcast Saturday during Easter. Good Friday was spectacular. I attended a most moving church service in the morning. In the evening, I enjoyed a piece of ribeye steak. 

Today, I’m grateful to Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella for this recipe. I’ve modified it by using a pressure cooker, because unlike Lorraine, my cooking is more about “speed and power”.

Legume soup

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 50 mL olive oil
  • One stalk celery 
  • A diced carrot 
  • One small onion, chopped 
  • One clove of garlic, chopped 
  • 200 g canned Borlotti beans 
  • 200 g canned lentils 
  • 750 mL vegetable stock 
  • 100 g crushed canned tomatoes 
  • Fresh rosemary, to taste 
  • 2–3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste 
  • Salt to taste 

Instructions 

  1. Add the oil into a high-sided saucepan, then add the chopped celery, carrot, onion and garlic clove.
  2. Sauté together over medium heat. When the onion has become translucent, add in the curry powder and rosemary leaves.
  3. Pour in a little stock to remove the fond from the saucepan and then decant to the pressure cooker.
  4. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  5. To add some extra kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid.
  6. Cook under pressure for about 30 minutes. 
  7. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally and open the lid.
  8. Spoon into a bowl. 
  9. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  10. Eat with a spoon and some buttered bread. I use Bürgen 85% lower carbohydrate, high protein, whole grain and whole seed bread spread with Flora ProActiv® spread.  

Thoughts on the meal

I anticipate this will become a favourite soup. It’s delicious and easy to make. I also expect my bowel microbiota will benefit too, especially those bacteria which produce gas from glucose and the lactose fermenters. Lactose fermentation isn’t so much about milk and dairy products, but lactose is a common energy source in agar plates used diagnostic bacteriology. The end result is carbon dioxide and methane and other gases.

What I’ve been reading and listening to lately

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d started listening to a new book series, viz., Monroe Doctrine. I’m currently in volume VI and World War III is in its advanced stages with the final push to defeat the People’s Republic of China and liberate the Republic of China. The amount of technical detail in this book series is tremendous, especially the descriptions of how artificial intelligence is being exploited to overcome obstacles and supercede the limitations of human capabilities. In volume VI, there is a strong Australian component as part of a NATO force used to assist the US Marine Expeditionary Force in its mission to liberate ROC from PRC.

In terms of podcasts I’m in a rich seam of listening to two well regarded evangelical pastors who are both well known for their teaching and preaching. I’m currently listening to Dr David Martyn Lloyd-Jones preach through Ephesians 6:10–14, and Dr Tim Keller getting through a series rooted in the period of lent.

What else have I been doing?

I’ve been thinking about replacing my non-stick cookware with alternatives. I have a couple of stainless steel frying pans and saucepans, but my daily frying pan is a nonstick Pyrolux fry pan. I’ve also got one cast iron fry pan which is useful for searing steak. While the cast iron pan is nicely seasoned, it’s a bit small in diameter for my daily requirements. While the Pyrolux fry pan has been good and relatively long lasting, I know it will not keep a nonstick surface forever. The beauty of a carbon steel pan is the development of a polymerised oil layer which provides a “natural” nonstick surface. A good quality carbon steel pan will outlive me.

I was watching an American Test Kitchen video on YouTube and took note of a review they did on carbon steel cookware. I decided to buy a Matfer sheet pan. It was pretty easy to initially season with potato peels, salt, and oil. I’ll use this pan every morning for my egg and spinach breakfast.

Carbon steel seasoning with potato peels, salt, and oil
Matfer pan
Instructions for seasoning Matfer pan
Carbon Steel Seasoned

Photographs

Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup

My first time with a whole duck

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

I find myself in Brisbane for personal business. I cooked a whole duck while here. I’ve never done a whole duck before—bits of a duck, yes; a whole one, no. 

The duck had sat in a freezer for months. A home freezer means some temperature fluctuations, and being poultry, I’m thinking salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. 

To overcome this concern, I’m using a meat thermometer to ensure I reach an internal temperature of 76 °C in the thigh. 

The duck took two days to defrost. After defrosting, I dried the skin with a paper towel. I then hung it by its neck over the kitchen sink for a while to get as much blood out as possible. Unfortunately, a new white shirt is now a wearing-at-home shirt. 

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Meat thermometer 

Ingredients 

  • Duck 
  • Salt 
  • Ginger marmalade 
  • French onion soup mix (low sodium) 
  • Cabbage 
  • Broccoli 

Instructions 

  1. Defrost the duck and make sure it’s properly defrosted. Cooking partly frozen poultry is a point of failure regarding the risk of food-borne infection. 
  2. Dry the skin and hang it to let the blood and juices drain away. 
  3. Salt the skin so you are dry brining the duck. Do this the night before you plan to cook it. 
  4. Refrigerate the uncovered duck. 
  5. Turn the oven on and set it to 190 °C (fan-forced). 
  6. Place the meat thermometer into the thigh and put the duck on the middle rack. 
  7. Cook the bird until the internal temperature has reached 76 °C. 
  8. Rest the bird for at least 20 minutes before carving it. 
  9. While the duck was in the oven, make the marmalade and French onion soup sauce. 
  10. Boil a litre of water in a saucepan and add the soup mix. 
  11. Add a couple of tablespoons of ginger marmalade to the soup and gently boil until it reduces and thickens to a loose syrup. 
  12. Cut the cabbage and broccoli into small pieces and parboil for a few minutes. 
  13. Sauté the cabbage and broccoli in a frying pan. Help the process with some wine and maybe a teaspoon of marmalade. Cook these vegetables to the desired firmness or tenderness. I like my cabbage and broccoli firm in my mouth, but others like them mushy. I was cooking for some people with poor dentition, so we went with a softer version. 
  14. Carve the duck with a sharp knife and plate up. Drizzle some of the sauce over the duck and the cabbage. 
  15. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  16. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Thoughts on the meal 

I like eating duck. I like the fatty, oily, and gamey tastes and feel in my mouth. I also like eating the odd bits. I enjoy the uropygium and pygostyle of poultry. The uropygium is the fleshy protuberance, visible at the posterior end. It looks swollen because it contains the uropygial gland that produces preen oil. I also like eating the neck and dissecting out the œsophagus and trachea. Because of the limitations of available tools and photographic equipment, I couldn’t undertake the dissection on my plate like I have done previously.

The skin was crisp, and the meat was succulent. The marmalade and French onion soup reduction sauce accompanied the duck well. My dinner compatriots were pleased and I received 👍👍

Photographs

Whole duck. half price
Whole duck. half price
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Raw duck after dry brining overnight
Raw duck
Raw duck waiting to enter the oven
Roast duck
Roast duck
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. My plate with uropygium prominently on display and the severed neck.
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. Drumstick and thigh along with some air fried potatoes.

Pork meat for the week

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

I hope you have enjoyed a peaceful and trouble-free week. 

Tonight, I’m cooking a simple pork dish to set up this coming week with leftover meat. 

I had initially thought I might cook beef short ribs and have pulled beef, but the supermarket didn’t have any short ribs to my liking. 

I’m also making a reduction sauce from marmalade and French onion soup mix to keep the meat moist and succulent. 

On pork, a paper from the journal, Antibiotics made headlines this week in the media that I focus on professionally. A group looked for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in poultry and pork in Kenya. High quantities of bacteria contaminated 98.4% of pork and 96.6% poultry from the 393 samples collected. From 611 bacterial isolates, 38.5% were multi-drug resistant. It is worrying that supermarket poultry and pork in Kenya contain bacteria resistant to antimicrobials used for humans and livestock.[1]

The selection of pork in the meat display at Coles is reasonable. I was looking for a shoulder roll but then saw porchetta. 

I know there is a traditional way of cooking porchetta. I am choosing the Yummy Lummy approach. Most people would dry the rind overnight in the refrigerator and slowly cook it in a low oven. 

I wasn’t interested in all that faffing about. I went with speed and power. 

I confessed my food crime to a dear friend who is Italian. She has shared recipes for lasagne and eggplant parmigiana with me. She sent me a laughing emoji, so I didn’t feel bad. 

Cooking pork, as I did, also reduces the risk of urinary tract infection.[2] 

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 

Ingredients 

  • Porchetta 
  • Marmalade – I elected to use Bundaberg ginger marmalade. 
  • French onion soup mix – I chose the low-sodium product. 
  • White peach 
  • Navel orange 
  • Red cabbage 
  • Broccoli 

Instructions 

  1. Put the porchetta into the pressure cooker cooking vessel. 
  2. Boil a kettle and mix the French onion soup to about 2 L. 
  3. Stir through two tablespoons of marmalade. 
  4. Pour the marmalade and soup mix over the pork. 
  5. Cook under high pressure for 1 hour. 
  6. Put the pork into a plastic container, and refrigerate. 
  7. Sieve the cooking liquor and slowly boil it to reduce it to a sweet sauce. 
  8. Par boil the cabbage and broccoli. 
  9. Quarter the peach and orange. 
  10. Cut a slice of pork and arrange all the food on a plate. 
  11. Drizzle the marmalade and French onion soup sauce over the pork. 
  12. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  13. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Thoughts on the meal

I found this meal satisfactory for my purposes. It’s an adequate meal for one person. 

I now have enough meat to get me through the week. 

Final thoughts

Would you consider what I did to the porchetta a food crime? 

Would you cook porchetta in a pressure cooker? 

Photographs

Porchetta
Porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.
Pressure cooker porchetta with red cabbage, broccoli, white peach, and navel orange with a drizzle of marmalade and French onion soup sauce.

References

1.         Muinde, P., et al., Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens Detected in Raw Pork and Poultry Meat in Retailing Outlets in Kenya. Antibiotics, 2023. 12(3): p. 613.

2.         Liu, C.M., et al., Using source-associated mobile genetic elements to identify zoonotic extraintestinal E. coli infections. One Health, 2023: p. 100518.