Cooking

Lamb rump steak

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

Today, Thursday, 20230126, is a gazetted public holiday in Australia. I’m on-call and doing some work, but I have time to post something here.

I didn’t post last weekend because I was in Brisbane to see my daughters and parents.

I ate well while in Brisbane and managed to bear in mind the principles of the CSIRO Total Wellness Diet.

Before I get to what I have cooked today, let’s run through what I enjoyed last weekend.

Qantas 1710

On the flight to Brisbane, Qantas served zucchini and corn fritters. These morsels were tasty.

    On Saturday morning, I went with eggs Benedict. On the menu, it looked like bacon was an optional extra. I didn’t ask for it and didn’t pay for it. I did receive bacon, and I did eat it. I didn’t eat the bread.

    The Gunshop Cafe Eggs Benedict

    I took my family to Sandgate for lunch at the Sandgate Fishmonger. While some asked for battered cod and others asked for crumbed cod, a few of us enjoyed grilled cod.

    Two pieces of grilled cod and a bottle of ginger beer from the Sandgate Fishmonger

    Dinner was a lovely event. Rather than a gift for Christmas, I asked my daughters to take me to dinner somewhere in January. They know their father, so they chose an “all-you-can-eat” joint. When I was morbidly obese, my favourite four words were “all you can eat”.

    We went to Shabu House, which specialises in Japanese hotpot, sushi, and Japanese-style fried chicken.

    While I was mindful of the principles of the CSIRO TWD, I did enjoy lots of vegetables plus lots of meat and fish. I think the octopus was the best element. The pork and beef were okay, and the white fish (whatever it was) was good, but the baby octopus was the best element for flavour and mouthfeel.

    It was difficult to resist the fried chicken, and I succumbed to the temptation. Regarding the sushi, I ate a little raw fish but didn’t eat the rice.

    Shabu House Fish Pork Beef Tom yum broth
    Shabu house Prawns Octopus Pork Beef Wood ear fungus
    Shabu House Fish balls Prawn balls Sushi
    Shabu House Fried Chicken Chicken Karaage
    Sorry about the white balance. The incandescent bulbs above the table were very warm.

    After the meal, we walked south across the Brisbane River and enjoyed gelato at Messina on Melbourne Street.

    Sunday breakfast was poached eggs, a little hollandaise sauce, plus wilted spinach leaves. I didn’t eat the bread.

    Poached eggs Hollandaise sauce Wilted spinach

    By the time I weighed myself on Monday morning, I’d not gained weight when I had compared the number to what I had measured on Friday morning.

    This week has gone well in terms of how I feel physically. The initial hunger associated with changing the ratios of carbohydrates, protein, and fat seems to have diminished. I’m in a steady rhythm of measuring and tracking the food I consume and the steps I walk.

    The CSIRO TWD app works seamlessly across my smartphone, tablet, and desktop. It synchronises with my app for blood pressure, steps, and weight. The positive feedback from seeing the energy balance plus the values of various parameters at the end of each day provides psychological assurance, which is a significant part of this process.

    Recipe

    The recipes here will be simple and plain for the foreseeable future. They may not be that interesting. If you want to see large joints of meat and other recipes, scroll to earlier posts and find all manner of recipes.

    Equipment

    No special equipment is necessary

    Ingredients

    • Lamb rump steak. I saw these small fillets of lamb rump in the supermarket, which are about the right portion size.
    • Mixed lettuce leaves
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Baby cucumbers
    • Lemon juice
    • Lemon zest
    • Olive oil

    Instructions

    1. The night before cooking, I recommend dry brining the meat. Dry brining means drying the surface of the flesh and seasoning it with salt. Place it on a rack and refrigerate it uncovered overnight. It can remain like this for one or two days. As the meat dries, the salt penetrates. The flesh doesn’t dehydrate, but the surface remains dry to assist with searing on a hot pan.
    2. When it’s time to cook dinner, remove the meat from the refrigerator.
    3. Heat a pan until it’s hot.
    4. Add some neutral, high-vapour point oil. I like to use rice bran oil or peanut oil.
    5. Quickly cook the lamb rump steak.
    6. Set the meat aside to rest.
    7. Place some lettuce leaves, halved tomatoes and sliced cucumber in a bowl and dress with a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil.
    8. Put the salad on a dinner plate and garnish with lemon zest.
    9. Put the lamb next to the salad.
    10. Say thanks to the Lord.
    11. Eat with a fork.

    Final thoughts

    The lamb was rare to medium rare and perfect, in my opinion. I know some people don’t like the flavour of lamb, but I love it. This meal was an ideal light lunch for a public holiday.

    Photographs

      Chicken tenderloin and kale slaw

      Posted by Gary

      Dear Reader,

      For the next three months, I’m trying something new. Kathleen suggested I try CSIRO’s Total Wellness Diet (TWD). When I looked at it, it centres on meal planning and portion control using higher protein and lower glycæmic index foods. The program also has guides on exercise and other aspects of human wellness.

      The initial programs span twelve weeks. Some programs are tailored to people with out-of-range lipids and out-of-range blood pressure. It also offers options for people who prefer a plant-based lifestyle. The basic plan is a kick start into tracking and monitoring food intake and mindful consideration of meal preparation.

      When I looked at it, I was taken aback by the quantities of foods in the meal plans and shopping lists. My biggest surprise, however, was in the goal setting. Body mass index guides the user, and ethnicity is considered. If I enter that I am Asian, the recommendation is to lose 12 kilograms. If I enter Polynesian, I’m at an acceptable weight. Rather than accept the advice, I’ve modified the goal for a realistic outcome.

      As I read through the meal plans, I’m reassured by the relatively simple building blocks and the emphasis on quantification and measurement.

      Most of the meats are cooked by grilling. Because of my work schedule and personal preferences, I will cook my meals differently. It won’t alter the nutritional status of the food, and the method I use is safe. The TWD is flexible, so making these changes won’t detract from the basic core approach.

      Recipe

      Equipment

      • Water bath
      • Water heater and circulator

      Ingredients

      • Chicken tenderloin meat (150 g per serving)
      • Premixed kale slaw (75 g per serving)
      • Medium tomato (150 g)
      • Commercially made hoisin sauce (20 g)
      • Light mayonnaise (20 g)

      Instructions

      1. Place the chicken tenderloin pieces into a bowl and add the hoisin sauce. Coat the chicken with the sauce.
      2. Put the chicken into a vacuum bag and seal it.
      3. Cook the chicken for 2 hours at 60 °C to pasteurise it.
      4. Allow the chicken to cool in the refrigerator.
      5. Add the kale slaw and tomato to a bowl and mix through the light mayonnaise.
      6. Pull the chicken meat with forks and add it to the salad bowl.
      7. Give thanks to the Lord.
      8. Eat with a fork.

      1.7 Meat and Protein, 0.1 Bread and Cereals, 0.6 Vegetables, 0.1 Dairy, 0.2 Healthy Fats and Oils, 0.1 Indulgences, 1293 kilojoules, 38 g protein, 6 g fibre, 13 g carbohydrates

      Meat planning

      The general guidance is to purchase lean cuts of meat and fish. The average serving size is about 150 grams.

      To achieve this without needing to visit a butcher or undertake complicated meat preparation at home, I selected minute steaks and chicken tenderloin pieces.

      Each steak is about 100 g, and each tenderloin piece is about 80 g. For each meal, I’ll go with one piece of beef or two tenderloin pieces.

      To add a bit of flavour, I prepared the meat by coating the pieces with a thin film of hoisin sauce which seems to be popular in the TWD recipes.

      I did the meat preparation in bulk by using vacuum bags. One piece of steak in a bag and two tenderloin pieces in a bag.

      For chicken tenderloin, the cooking formula for pasteurisation is 60 °C for two hours.

      For the fillet steak, the cooking formula for pasteurisation is 55 °C for two hours.

      For salmon, the cooking formula for pasteurisation is 50 °C for 45 minutes.

      Thoughts on the meal

      The meal was modest, and I expect to feel hungry later tonight.

      That said, the chicken was tasty and tender. I like kale slaw, so that worked well.

      Tomorrow night I’ll cook beef.

      Final thoughts

      1. Have you heard of the CSIRO Total Wellness Diet? Have you tried it?
      2. Do you like structured meal planning or prefer a more free-wheeling approach?
      3. What do you plan to eat this week?

      Photographs

      This is a gallery of photographs of the meal.

      Chicken tenderloin pieces with hoisin sauce in a vacuum bag.
      Chicken tenderloin with kale slaw
      Chicken tenderloin with kale slaw

      This is a photograph of me as I begin the program. The smartphone application includes self-photographs plus weight and girth measurements for comparison purposes.

      A photo of me as I begin the CSIRO Total Wellness Diet
      This is me as I begin the CSIRO Total Wellness Diet.
      Last night’s indulgence
      I made sure I finished off the last of the ice cream last night
      Today’s lunch

      Endnotes

      CSIRO

      The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is now better known as CSIRO and is often pronounced as “sigh-row”. CSIRO calls itself Australia’s national science organisation and regards itself as the interface between science and industry.

      The organisation’s best-known invention is wireless local area networks or Wi-Fi.

      CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet

      The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet has been hailed as one of CSIRO’s best achievements from its base in Adelaide, South Australia.

      Garlic bread with bacon and cheese

      Posted by Gary

      Dear Reader,

      I hope you’ve had a good week.

      I have had a mixed week, but in terms of work, I’m like a pig in mud.

      During the week, Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella wrote about her garlic bread with ham and cheese. It looked very fancy, and I’m sure it’s decadently delicious. Lorraine’s cooking always looks amazing and reads fantastically.

      I thought I’d make a Yummy Lummy version. When I compare what Lorraine does and what I do, I reckon I’m on the bogan and coarse end of a scale that extends up to refinement and sophistication; my version is cheap and cheerful. Because I’m me, I’m using bacon rather than ham.

      Recipe

      Equipment

      • Toaster oven

      Ingredients

      • Bread roll. The bread I’m using is a cheap sourdough roll from Coles. I buy three in a packet and freeze them. This one has been frozen for a few weeks, so it isn’t at its best.
      • Butter. I usually buy Lurpak® because I like it, so that’s what I’ve used.
      • Garlic. I had a tube of garlic purée in the refrigerator plus some garlic powder as Lorraine recommends. It’s within its use-by date. If you wanted to you could buy fresh garlic, peel it, and then mince it with a sharp knife.
      • Bacon. I bought a rasher of streaky bacon from the delicatessen section in Coles.
      • Chives. I bought a bunch from Coles.
      • Cheese. I like the Devondale three-cheese bag, which comes grated. I’m sure it has enough antifungal chemicals to treat a yeast infection. (That’s a joke, pre-grated cheese needs to be sold with antifungal chemicals, but the amount would hardly treat a good going yeast infection.)

      Instructions

      1. Thaw the bread. I took the roll out of the freezer in the morning, put it into a Ziplock bag, and left it on a kitchen bench all day.
      2. Soften the butter. I cut off a hunk of butter and left it on a plate on the kitchen bench for about an hour.
      3. Mix the garlic and butter. When the butter is soft, mix in the garlic purée. Use as much as you like or can tolerate. I live alone, so there was quite a lot of garlic.
      4. Chop the chives and fold that into the garlic butter.
      5. Like Lorraine I melted the garlic butter. I used microwave radiation.
      6. Cut the bacon. Eyeball the width of the bread roll and cut the bacon to the same length.
      7. Cut the bread through to the crust on the bottom. Make the slices as thick or as thin as you like.
      8. Unlike Lorraine who used a brush I used a teaspoon to spoon the garlic butter into the cut surfaces of the bread.
      9. Insert the bacon between the cut surfaces of the bread.
      10. Place the bread on some aluminium foil and place a strip of baking paper over the top and close the foil around the bread. Bake for about 20 minutes at 200 °C.
      11. Pull the garlic bread out of the oven, open the foil, and remove the baking paper. Add the grated cheese over the bread roll and put some between the cut surfaces of the bread on either side of the bacon.
      12. Place the garlic bread into the oven (with an open surface) until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
      13. Remove the garlic bread and allow it to cool enough to pull apart with naked fingertips.
      14. Give thanks to the Lord.
      15. Consume
      16. I ate the garlic bread with lamb shanks.

      Thoughts on the garlic bread

      I liked it. It was buttery and cheesy and it had bacon. What more could you want? It probably also had enough cholesterol and other lipids to ensure a disgusting lipæmic layer if I collected a tube of blood and subjected it to centrifugal force in a centrifuge. I expect, Lorraine’s had better mouthfeel and flavour (take a look at how she made hers and you’ll see why).

      I added a lot of garlic powder and garlic purée so tomorrow will be interesting at church. My pores will exude garlic.

      Photographs

      Lamb shanks and vegatables
      Lamb shanks and vegatables
      Sourdough roll uncut
      Sourdough roll cut
      Streaky bacon
      Streaky bacon
      Garlic butter
      Garlic butter
      Garlic bread before baking
      Lamb shanks out of the pressure cooker
      Garlic bread after baking sans cheese
      Garlic bread with cheese before melting
      Garlic bread with melted cheese
      Lamb shanks and garlic bread with bacon and cheese
      Lamb shanks and garlic bread with bacon and cheese
      Lamb shanks and garlic bread with bacon and cheese
      Lamb shanks and garlic bread with bacon and cheese

      Endnotes

      Pig in mud. Happy, joyful, and contented.

      Bogan. Oxford Dictionary of English | bogan / ˈbəʊɡ(ə)n / noun Australian New Zealand informal, derogatory an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status: some bogans yelled at us from their cars my family are culinary bogans. | ORIGIN 1980s: perhaps from the surname Bogan.

      Antifungal microbial agents. I like the idea of using microorganisms which elaborate antifungal chemicals to preserve food.

      Click on this and read the replies from Lorraine.

      New Year’s Eve 2022

      Posted by Gary

      Brisket

      Avoid this palaver and go to the recipe.

      This year had it's ups and downs. The big dip in November was a doozy and had long term health complications.
      This year had it’s ups and downs. The big dip in November was a doozy and had long term health complications.

      Resolutions for 2023

      Is it worth writing these down? I don’t know. How often do people make a list and then forget about it? I would guess it’s most of the time.

      The one thing I want to push myself to do next year is to seek clarity in everything. Because I’m partially deaf and because of my tinnitus, I often mishear things. Rather than ask for the words to be repeated, I smile and pretend I understand. I’m also too proud to seek clarity when someone says something that sounds like a good form of words, but I don’t understand what they’re saying. I know some people who are good with words but aren’t very clear. Context is everything; sometimes, context is assumed when it shouldn’t be.

      I’m guilty of this myself. I will use a technically correct word or phrase rather than plain language. Next year, I aim to always add an explanation to any technical phraseology to ensure I’m understood. I always try to make the context plain.

      There are other aspects I need to improve, and I mentioned those last week. If you liked last’s week’s meal, there’s a follow-up with the leftover KFC.

      How will I celebrate New Year’s Eve?

      I had no plans. I figured I’d cook a meal, watch TV, and then go to bed.

      The meal is a piece of brisket. I bought a portion that will provide a meal tonight and meat during the week for lunches. I’m looking forward to cold brisket and warm gravy sandwiches. I’ll post a story to Random Yummy in the next few days.

      The dessert was ice cream and granola.

      My dessert Tweet

      Recipe

      Equipment used

      • Pressure cooker
      • Saucier pan
      • Toaster oven

      Ingredients

      • Brisket
      • Potato
      • Carrot
      • Celery
      • Onion
      • Brussels sprouts
      • Butter
      • Flour
      • Beef stock
      • Red wine

      Instructions

      1. Roughly chop and dice the potato, carrot, onion, and celery.
      2. Heat a frying pan and add some neutral oil.
      3. Dry the surface of the brisket with some absorbent paper.
      4. Place the brisket into the pan and sear the outside surface.
      5. Put the brisket into the pressure cooker.
      6. Sauté the potato, carrot, onion, and celery until the vegetables soften a little and take on some colour.
      7. Put the potato, carrot, onion, and celery into the pressure cooker.
      8. Deglaze the pan with red wine and add a cup of beef stock.
      9. Pour the wine and stock into the pressure cooker.
      10. Cook under pressure for 45 minutes and then allow the pressure to reach equilibrium naturally.
      11. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half and rub them with olive oil.
      12. Put the Brussels sprouts on a baking tray and cook at 200 °C for about 30 minutes.
      13. Remove the brisket and place it in a shallow dish. Cover it with some aluminium foil.
      14. Pass the cooking liquor through a sieve and keep the liquid in a jug for making gravy.
      15. Make a roux with equal amounts of butter and flour. I used 20 g of both butter and flour.
      16. Gradually pour the filtered cooking liquor into the roux and make gravy.
      17. Slice a couple of pieces of brisket and put it on a dinner plate.
      18. Put the Brussels sprouts next to the brisket.
      19. Drizzle some gravy over the brisket and Brussels sprouts.
      20. Give thanks to the Lord.
      21. Enjoy the last dinner for 2022, watch some TV, and look forward to some creamy vanilla ice cream with granola.

      Photographs

      Brisket from Coles
      Celery and potato
      Onion and carrot
      Brisket ready for searing
      Seared brisket
      Cooked brisket fresh from the pressure cooker
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year’s Eve.
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year's Eve.
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year’s Eve.
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year’s Eve.
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year’s Eve.
      Beef brisket with Brussels sprouts and gravy. New Year’s Eve.

      Final thoughts

      • I hope you have a great New Year’s Eve and a Happy New Year 😃
      • May 2023 be the best year you’ve ever lived.
      • I’ll see you next year.

      Endnotes

      Roux. Making a roux is simple. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in all the flour, and whisk for three minutes. Three minutes will ensure the taste of raw flour is removed. You can make a dark roux with a hot pan and a lighter beige roux with a moderate pan.

      Brussels sprouts. Why only one vegetable? I wanted a small meal because I had a big bowl of ice cream planned for dessert. I also had a large serving of hot chips for lunch.

      My lunch Tweet

      Pork ribs and noodles

      Posted by Gary

      Hello Reader,

      I had difficulty knowing if I’d write anything this week. I have had a busy week. When I wasn’t working, I was in contemplation and meditation. 2022 has been a big year. I’ve been journaling and processing. I find writing helps me think and develop answers to questions and problems.

      I’ve also been reading about specific health matters for personal rather than professional reasons. One of the best resources for evidence-based medicine is up-to-date.[i]

      Food and cooking were far from my thoughts for much of the week. It wasn’t until I looked back at one meal and thought I’d try a variation. On Wednesday night, I bought dinner and had pork ribs with slaw and hot chips. A mate from Darwin was visiting for a meeting he was attending, so we went to a local restaurant.

      Fenway Public House Pork ribs with slaw and chips

      Recipe

      Equipment

      • Pressure cooker
      • Saucepan

      Ingredients

      • Pork ribs
      • Chinese five spice
      • Star anise
      • Sesame oil
      • Soy sauce
      • Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
      • Noodles
      • Vegetable stock
      • Fennel (diced)
      • Bok choi (chop the stems into small pieces)

      Instructions

      Pork

      1. Place the racks of ribs into the pressure cooker.
      2. Add the stock and spices over the pork.
      3. Add a splash of soy sauce.
      4. Cook under pressure for 45 minutes.
      5. Allow the pressure to reduce to atmospheric naturally.
      6. Remove the ribs and set them aside in a shallow tray or a bowl.
      7. Pass the cooking liquor through a sieve into a saucepan.

      Noodles

      1. Boil the cooking liquor.
      2. Put the noodles into a bowl and add the fennel and Bok choi stems.
      3. Pour the boiling cooking liquor over the noodles.

      Plating up

      1. Place a rack of ribs and Bok choi leaves over the noodles.
      2. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the ribs.

      Serving

      1. Give thanks to the Lord.
      2. Eat with chopsticks and a spoon.

      Final thoughts

      • Do you like pork ribs?
      • Do you have a preference for Asian style or non-Asian style pork ribs?
      • How has your week been?

      References

      [i] https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/uptodate/how-we-help

      Photographs

      Pork ribs
      Bok choi and fennel
      Bok choi leaves
      Cooked pork ribs
      Pork ribs and noodles
      Pork ribs and noodles
      Pork ribs and noodles
      Pork ribs and noodles
      Pork ribs bones