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.

Sous vide porterhouse steak

Posted by Gary

Hello readers,

How has your week been? I had a wonderful week. Work has been steady, and the weather has been mild.

I haven’t had much food inspiration this week. However, today, I read a couple of reports of food-borne infections associated with beef. That’s why I chose steak for dinner.

I like a large piece of beef because a large portion of the muscle is always safer than meat minced (ground in North America) or served in a manner that increases risk.

Many people never have any ill effects, but others experience severe infections, and there are some who die. The morbidity and mortality are why public health practitioners are necessary.

I feel fortunate because I enjoy eating beef on the rare side. Cooking the meat with knowledge of temperature control ensures pasteurisation and food safety.

Sous vide porterhouse steak and salad.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Immersion circulator
  • Water bath
  • Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  • Steak
  • Salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Pepper
  • Lettuce
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Mayonnaise
  • Butter
  • Flour
  • Beef stock
  • Mushrooms

Instructions

Steak

  1. Season the steak with iodised salt, freshly ground peppercorns, and garlic powder.
  2. Place the seasoned steak into a vacuum bag and seal it in a vacuum chamber.
  3. Cook the steak at 54 °C for 3 hours and 10 minutes in the water bath.
  4. Remove the steak from the bag and dry the surface with absorbent paper.
  5. Keep the juices for the gravy.
  6. Heat a cast iron skillet and sear the steak.
  7. Allow the steak to rest a little before carving the meat from the bone and then slicing the meat.

Mushrooms

  1. Quarter some mushrooms.
  2. Sauté the mushrooms in butter.

Gravy

  1. Make a roux with butter and flour.
  2. Whisk in some beef stock and cooked meat juices.
  3. Season the gravy with salt and pepper.

Salad

  1. Place some washed lettuce leaves in a bowl.
  2. Cut some cherry tomatoes into quarters and add them to the salad bowl.
  3. Dice half an avocado and add to the salad bowl.
  4. Stir through some mayonnaise as a salad dressing.

Plating up

  1. Arrange the steak on a warmed dinner plate.
  2. Place the salad next to the steak.
  3. Place the mushrooms between the steak and the salad and spoon some of the butter onto the meat.
  4. Pour the gravy into a small bowl and serve it on the dinner plate so the steak can be dipped.

Thoughts on the steak

This thick cut of porterhouse was good. I’m saving the other half to cook by reverse searing it.

As much as I am a fan of instant gravy, making a roux and using the cooked meat juices from the vacuum bag gives a flavour and consistency, which is just as good, if not better.

Photographs

This is a gallery of photographs.

Coles beef porterhouse steak
Coles beef porterhouse steak
Coles beef porterhouse steak
Coles beef porterhouse steak
Coles beef porterhouse steak
Coles beef porterhouse steak seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Coles beef porterhouse steak. Vacuum sealed and seasoned.
Cooked porterhouse steak
Cooked porterhouse steak and mushrooms
Cooked porterhouse steak and mushrooms
Sous vide porterhouse steak and salad
Sous vide porterhouse steak and salad
Sous vide porterhouse steak and salad

Irish stew

Posted by Gary

Hello Reader,

How are you today? I hope you’ve enjoyed your week since I last wrote here.

I’ve been busy with work and trying to cope with all the pollen in the air. Everywhere I look, I see yellow wattle flowers. I’ve been sneezing and coughing, and my throat has felt irritated.

I’ve also been listening to audiobooks in my spare time, especially when out walking. I’ve been listening to some J. K. Rowling and Lee Child books. I read the hard copy Harry Potter books soon after they were released. Listening to them read by Stephen Fry has been enjoyable. Lee Child’s series about Jack Reacher has provided some escapist relief.

The other week I watched the movie adaptation of The Guns of Navarone, written by Alistair MacLean. I downloaded the audiobook and listened to it to understand how the movie adaptation varied from the book. The book and movie are very different. I prefer the book.

Tonight, I’m cooking an Irish stew. I’m not sure if there is an authentic approach to an Irish stew. As far as I know, it needs root vegetables and lamb or mutton. It’s an excellent way to avoid wasting some vegetables in the refrigerator.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Pressure cooker
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • Lamb forequarter chops
  • Potato
  • Carrot
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Daikon
  • Parsley
  • Spring onions
  • Fennel
  • Wombok
  • Plain flour
  • Butter
  • Worcestershire sauce[1-3]
  • Vegetable stock
  • Red wine

Instructions

Stew

  1. Caramelise the lamb in a hot skillet and set aside while cutting the vegetables.
  2. Cut the potato, carrot, onion, celery, daikon, fennel, and Wombok into chunks. Tear apart the parsley and spring onions.
  3. Pour the vegetable stock, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce into the pressure cooker.
  4. Add the vegetables and then the lamb.
  5. Cook under pressure for 45 minutes.
  6. Strain the solids with a colander and pour the eluted cooking liquor into a jug.
  7. Make a roux with the flour and butter. Slowly add the cooking liquor and make gravy.
  8. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to your liking.

Plating up

  1. Spoon into a large bowl some of the meat and vegetables.
  2. Ladle over the meat and vegetables the gravy.
  3. Thanks to the Lord for the food, wages to buy food, and the skills to cook the food.
  4. Eat with a fork and spoon.

Thoughts on the meal

I wasn’t quite sure what to cook today. When I got to the supermarket and saw the lamb forequarter chops, the idea of a stew started to form in my mind.

At one stage, I considered using a stick blender, processing the vegetables, and making soup. Having some chunky appealed more to me tonight.

This is a functional meal; it was filling and tasted good.

Final thoughts

  • Do you like Irish stew?
  • What books have you recently read/listened to?
  • If a movie is made from a book, do you usually prefer the movie or the book?

Photographs

This is a gallery of pictures.

Irish stew
Irish stew
Irish stew
Irish stew

This photo is my lunch. I mixed some celery, spring onions, tomato, and red onion with cheese and had it with corn chips.

Corn chips with melted cheese and vegetables

References

1.         Murphy, K.J., Worcestershire sauce and the kidney. Med J Aust, 1971. 1(21): p. 1119-21.

2.         Murphy, K.J., Bilateral renal calculi and aminoaciduria after excessive intake of Worcestershire sauce.Lancet, 1967. 2(7512): p. 401-3.

3.         Holmes, G., Worcestershire sauce and the kidneys. Br Med J, 1971. 3(5768): p. 252.

Chicken wings with Gochujang sauce

Posted by Gary

Hello Reader,

I’ve modified a recipe from Sally of Bewitching Kitchen for what she describes as Korean barbecue chicken. Thanks to Eha for sharing the recipe with me. 

Gochujang chicken with lettuce, celery, tomato and mayonnaise.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Immersion circulator
  • Water bath
  • Toaster oven

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Mix the ingredients for the marinade.
  2. Add the chicken and coat each piece with the marinade
  3. Seal the marinaded wings in a vacuum bag.
  4. Refrigerate from 2 hours to overnight.
  5. Cook in a water bath at 64 °C for 2 hours.
  6. Remove the chicken from the bag and place it under a grill (toaster oven) for a few minutes to evaporate the excess liquid and caramelisation.
  7. Serve with whatever you like. I drizzled some mayonnaise and enjoyed the wings with some avocado one night and with a salad the next night.

Thoughts on the meal

This is the first time I’ve tried Gochujang paste with anything. It was good. I think these wings would be good to enjoy while watching the footy on a Friday night.

I bought ten chicken wing nibbles and divided them into two batches of five. I cooked both batches simultaneously and kept one for an extra night. I put the leftover batch into a moderate oven for 15 minutes and enjoyed them with some lettuce and tomatoes plus the mayonnaise. 

Photographs

Gochujang
Chicken, Gochujang, Honey, Sesame oil, Soy sauce
Chicken, Gochujang, Honey, Sesame oil, Soy sauce vacuum sealed
Gochujang chicken with avocado and mayonnaise.
Gochujang chicken with lettuce, celery, tomato and mayonnaise.
Gochujang chicken with lettuce, celery, tomato and mayonnaise.

References

Ramalingam, S., et al. (2022). “Physicochemical, Microbial, and Volatile Compound Characteristics of Gochujang, Fermented Red Pepper Paste, Produced by Traditional Cottage Industries.” Foods 11(3).

Gochujang, fermented red pepper paste, is a grain-based traditional Korean food. The quality of gochujang produced by cottage industries is not well-documented. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze the quality of gochujang from 35 traditional cottage industries for physicochemical and microbial characteristics, along with volatile compound contents. In addition to microbial characteristics, salinity, pH, free amino nitrogen, and alcohol content were evaluated. Ethanol was detected as the predominant alcohol and 57% of tested gochujang products harboured>1% of total alcohol content, which was above the recommended level for halal products. Gochujang products contained hexadecanoic and linoleic acids predominantly and several volatile compounds belonging to the classes of alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, nitrogen-containing compounds, and terpenes. A wide range of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (2.79-8.73 log CFU/g) and yeast counts (1.56-7.15 log CFU/g) was observed. Five distinct yeast species were identified, including Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. Eight gochujang products were contaminated with Bacillus cereus (>4 log CFU/g). This study suggests a need to limit B. cereus contamination in cottage industry products and reduce the alcohol content to comply with halal food guidelines.

 

Holiday in Adelaide

Posted by Gary

Hello reader,

I recently enjoyed a brief holiday with Kathleen—a few days in Adelaide (also known as the city of churches). We have been exploring unfamiliar eateries in our respective cities, along with the usual tried and tested favourites.

I’m not going to go through every meal we enjoyed because there were so many bites to eat and because while each moment was special, I doubt you’ll find them all interesting to read. 

These are the highlights.

Veneziano Coffee Adelaide

While this is a coffee-focused shop, it was two of the pastry treats which grabbed my attention. The first was an apple and custard Danish, which was delectably light and airy, yet rich and buttery with plush custard and delicately spiced apple. The pastry was firm yet biteable. It was delicious. The second was a cinnamon scroll that wasn’t like those awful oversweet franchise creations. The scroll was delicate and flaky, with a nice balance of cinnamon and sugar. 

The River Torrens café

From the Winter Feast menu, we enjoyed:

House-made focaccia with hummus 

A tapas board with 1. Lamb shank croquette with minted peas; 2. Salt and pepper squid; and 3. crostini, mushroom pâté, and ricotta.

For main meals, we selected the free-range chicken with chermoula rub, fennel and yoghurt, and the crab linguini with a rosé sauce, tomato, and mild chilli.

House-made Petit Four cinnamon rolled ricotta doughnut with Davidson plum jelly.

Upon arrival we were promptly attended and shown to a window table overlooking the Torrens River and Adelaide city. Soon after ordering drinks the charred light and soft focaccia arrived, finishing the scene for a lovely meal. The tapas board was a good appetite stimulant for the main courses. I also enjoyed the pasta and some of the chicken, especially the skin from the chicken thigh. Kathleen said the chicken was perfectly cooked. We didn’t need to ask for dessert because the doughnut and Davidson plum rounded out the meal perfectly. We both enjoyed a cup of tea to help with our digestion.

Vietnam House – Pho and Bread Rolls

This place was so good we ate there twice over two days. Over the two meals, we enjoyed:

  • Chilli lemongrass chicken Bánh mì
  • Pork crackling Bánh mì
  • Vietnamese coffee
  • Tofu and vegetables vermicelli noodle salad
  • Young coconut juice

The Bánh mì were very good. The bread roll crust was crunchy outside, and the bread was pillowy soft. The vegetables were crispy. The chilli was hot, but the heat lasted only about five minutes after savouring the last bite. While the chicken was probably the better sandwich, I’ll always choose pork over chicken if given a choice.

Vietnamese coffee is sublime. Should all my coffee be made with condensed milk?

Lemongrass chicken and chilli Bánh mì from Vietnam House
Pork crackling and chilli Bánh mì from Vietnam House

MEATER™ made lamb shoulder roll

One of the treats was cooking a small roast. We used a MEATER™ wireless meat thermometer to cook the lamb roast, accompanied by baby green peas, potato mash and gravy.

It was a simple, relatively cheap meal and most enjoyable.

Bakery on O’Connell

This place is an institution in Adelaide. It trades all day, apart from a couple of weeks around Christmas and New Year.

We bought an apricot turnover and a vanilla slice. Both were delicious, and I’m happy to recommend their coffee.

Apricot Turnover from Bakery on O’Connell

Last supper in Adelaide

Our last dinner was phenomenal. We’d been grocery shopping and bought some cheeses, lavosh bread, rye sourdough, quince paste, and an apple. The highlight was a La Vera pancetta wrapped camembert. This product which I’ve never seen in Canberra, also includes some thyme and garlic. The wrapped cheese is prepared in an oven for about 15 minutes until the pancetta is brown and the cheese starts to ooze.

We also had a few slices of the leftover lamb shoulder which we cut and ate with the various elements.

The blue cheese was a La Vera product called Adel-Blue. This has a compelling creamy funkiness. 

Pancetta wrapped camembert cheese and rye sourdough roll
Pancetta wrapped camembert cheese and rye sourdough roll
Pancetta wrapped camembert cheese
Pancetta wrapped camembert cheese and rye sourdough roll with Adel-Blue cheese, lamb, olives, quince paste, apple, and lavosh

Final thoughts

It was a marvellous holiday, and I enjoyed seeing more of Adelaide. I’ll be back as soon as I can.

Chicken and Hokkien noodles

Posted by Gary

Hello readers,

I hope you’ve enjoyed your week. This week’s post is quick and easy because I don’t have much time. 

Recipe

Equipment

  • Water heater circulator
  • Water bath
  • Wok

Ingredients

  • Chicken thigh
  • Red onion
  • Shallot
  • Ginger
  • Shiitake mushrooms [1, 2]
  • Laksa paste [3]
  • Coconut milk
  • Chillies
  • Carrot
  • Fennel
  • Hokkien noodles

Instructions

Chicken thigh

  1. Seal a chicken thigh with the skin attached and seasoned with salt in a plastic bag.
  2. Heat a water bath to 76 °C and then cook the chicken in the water for 2 hours.
  3. Refrigerate the chicken after it has cooked.
  4. Pull the meat from the bones and break up the muscle bundles. Place the pulled chicken thigh aside in a bowl and gnaw the bones to avoid wasting meat.
  5. Place the cooking liquor into a small saucepan.

Mushrooms

  1. Remove the mushrooms from the packaging and place them into a bowl.
  2. Add a cup of water to the small saucepan with the cooking liquor from the chicken.
  3. Boil the contents of the saucepan and then turn off the heat.
  4. Pour the liquid over the mushrooms and let the mushrooms steep for about half an hour.
  5. Remove the mushrooms and set them aside.

Noodles

  1. Remove the noodles from the packaging and place them into a bowl.
  2. Boil the saucepan with the mushroom and chicken juices and pour over the noodles.
  3. With wooden tongs or chopsticks, break up the noodles and drain them when they feel soft.
  4. Keep the cooking liquor aside.

Soup

  1. Finely chop a shallot and red onion.
  2. Mince some ginger.
  3. Slice a chilli.
  4. Slice the fennel.
  5. Julienne the carrot.
  6. Slice the spring onion.
  7. Shake the tin of coconut cream and open it.
  8. Heat the wok and then add some oil.
  9. Sauté the onions, shallot, and ginger.
  10. Add a tablespoon of laksa paste (more or less depending on how you like it).
  11. Add the mushrooms and slowly add the cooking liquor used for the noodles, mushrooms, and chicken.
  12. Allow the liquid to reduce a little to concentrate the flavours.
  13. Toss in the chicken meat and stir it around.
  14. Pour in the coconut cream and turn down the heat.
  15. Bring the cream to a gentle simmer, and then add in the carrot and some of the firmer slices of spring onion.
  16. Add the noodles and mix everything with a pair of chopsticks or wooden tongs.
  17. Turn the heat off and mix through chilli and more spring onions.
  18. Transfer everything to a bowl and garnish with the remaining spring onions.
  19. Give thanks to the Lord.
  20. Eat with chopsticks and a spoon.

Thoughts on the meal

This meal was enough for two people, so I refrigerated half of it, and the next day I heated the remaining soup in a saucepan and served it the same way I had the night before.

I didn’t want to label this meal anything other than chicken and Hokkien noodles. You could make this with any sort of Asian style flavouring you have around. I know many people would add garlic. I didn’t have any, and I’m not fussed about garlic in my food. If I have garlic, I’ll use it, but it’s not a big deal to omit it. 

I know that I use some techniques not readily available to everyone. You can substitute different approaches.

For example, you could cook the chicken any way you like so long as you achieve the correct temperature and duration[4]. Not everyone will get sick with inadequately cooked food. However, I commonly see reports of incapacitated people because of poor attention to food safety. You could use a supermarket rotisserie chicken if time is short and your budget permits. Break down the chicken, store it safely, and use it how you want.

I like the idea of using dried foods like mushrooms. I can use a few from a packet in this soup and the rest in other meals. The steeping liquor is also suitable for flavouring other aspects of the cooking process.

Feel free to make modifications and share them.

On food safety, I now have the pleasure of working with someone on a committee I have admired for decades. When I was in my final year of speciality training, this colleague wrote a magnificent review article on the pathogenic forms of Escherichia coli. I read it and memorised it; it was so good. One of my final exam questions was to compare and contrast the pathogenic forms of Escherichia coli. This colleague is now retired but working in an emeritus capacity. 

Final thoughts

  1. How has your week been?
  2. Do you like using dried foods?

Photographs

Chicken and Hokkien noodles
Chicken and Hokkien noodles
Leftover chicken and Hokkien noodles
Leftover chicken and Hokkien noodles

References

  • 1.         Kim, S.H., et al., Ecofriendly shiitake authentication using bulk and amino acid-specific stable isotope models. Food Chem, 2022. 397: p. 133819.
  • 2.         Berger, R.G., et al., Mycelium vs. Fruiting Bodies of Edible Fungi-A Comparison of Metabolites.Microorganisms, 2022. 10(7).
  • 3.         Peng, Z.F., et al., Antioxidant flavonoids from leaves of Polygonum hydropiper L.Phytochemistry, 2003. 62(2): p. 219-28.
  • 4.         Yang, R., et al., Thermal death kinetics of Salmonella Enteritidis PT30 in peanut butter as influenced by water activity. Food Res Int, 2022. 157: p. 111288.