Home cooking

Supplementary pork chop and apple

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

Last night, I cooked a pork chop. I had prepared two but only cooked one.

Tonight I’m having the second one but cooking it differently.

Last night I used a frypan and monitored the internal temperature with a manual meat probe (rather than the wireless device I often use).

Tonight I’m using a water bath and a precision cooker.

The reason for the difference is that for rapid cooking, getting an internal temperature of 68 °C is important for food safety. I can pasteurise the meat at a lower temperature with a water bath for a more succulent mouthfeel.

Different tastes and textures on my tongue and in my mouth are what I enjoy about eating.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Water bath
  • Precision cooker

Ingredients

  • Pork chop (dry brined)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Pink Lady apple
  • Strawberry jam
  • Leftover tomato sauce (from last night’s meal)
  • Red cabbage

Instructions

  1. Place the pork chop into a bag and seal it.
  2. Cook the pork at 54.4 °C for 1 hour.
  3. Remove the chop from the bag, dry the surface, and sear it.
  4. Cut a Pink Lady apple into eight slices longitudinally.
  5. Put the apple into a bag along with a tablespoon of strawberry jam and about ⅓ cup of leftover tomato sauce.
  6. Seal the bag and cook in a water bath at 65 °C for 2 hours.
  7. Slice the cabbage and sauté in a frypan.
  8. Serve everything on a plate.
  9. Give thanks to the Lord.
  10. Eat with a knife and fork.

Thoughts

The pork chop was succulent and delicious. The apple added a spicy sweetness which was enjoyable.

I’m excited about the week to come. I hope you have a great week doing whatever you enjoy in life.

Photographs

Pork chop
Sous vide pork chop with Pink Lady apple and red cabbage
Sous vide pork chop with Pink Lady apple and red cabbage
Sous vide pork chop with Pink Lady apple and red cabbage
Sous vide pork chop with Pink Lady apple and red cabbage

Pork chop and cabbage

Posted by Gary


If you don’t want to read the introductory words, click here for the recipe.

Dear Reader,

Introduction

I hope you’ve had a good week. My week was rewarding and satisfying. Next week will be even better. 

Inspiration 

I got the inspiration for tonight’s meal from a bible study friend. She mentioned that she and her husband enjoy pork chops. I haven’t eaten a pork chop for I can’t remember how long. 

I went to the supermarket on Friday evening to dry brine the pork overnight for tonight’s meal.

Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce

What have I been reading? 

I’m in the last part of “The Myth of Normal” by Gabor Maté.

I’m not sure what I’ll read next. It may be some science fiction. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I enjoyed the “Monroe Doctrine” series that advanced into science fiction with artificial intelligence-enhanced warfighting. The addition of biological and nuclear weapons heightened my interest. 

Recipe

  • Equipment 
  • Frypan 
  • Saucepan 
  • Oven 
  • Mortar and pestle 
  • Meat thermometer

Ingredients 

  • Pork loin chops with the bone in 
  • Flaky iodised salt 
  • Black peppercorns 
  • Garlic powder 
  • Rice bran oil 
  • Red (purple) cabbage 
  • Marmalade 
  • Potato 
  • Tomatoes
  • Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  1. Grind some peppercorns in a mortar with a pestle.
  2. Dry brine the pork by seasoning it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and refrigerating it uncovered overnight.
  3. Slice some cabbage and sauté in a frypan until it’s softened. 
  4. Add in some marmalade and stir it through. 
  5. Transfer the cabbage to a warm bowl for later. 
  6. Wash the dirt off the potato, quarter it longitudinally, rub in a little oil, and season the pieces with salt. 
  7. Place the potato into a hot oven (220 °C) and cook for about 25 minutes. 
  8. Cook the pork in a frypan for a few minutes on each side and measure the internal temperature. 
  9. The aim is to get the internal temperature to 68 °C. 
  10. Allow the pork to rest for the equivalent amount of time it took to cook on the frypan. 
  11. Quarter six small tomatoes and blend with some marmalade and Worcestershire sauce. Bring it to a slow simmer in a small saucepan. Then add ground peppercorns, salt, and garlic powder. I added too much pepper, so the sauce is bordering on uncomfortably spicy. It was surprisingly good with the finished meal.
  12. Dissect the bone from the meat with a knife and then slice the pork. 
  13. Plate up and give thanks to the Lord. 
  14. Eat with a fork while watching TV. 

What’s happening next week? 

I’m travelling and off to meet people I’ve only met online. It should be good. 

I’m shy and introverted, and meeting people in person can be awkward. We’ll see; I’m looking at it all positively. 

The rugby league State of Origin competition kicks off in Adelaide this week. I hope for a great game between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues.

Because I’ll be away, I may not post next weekend. 

Self-hosting to WordPress.com 

I’ve considered moving from a self-hosted site to WordPress.com for this blog. The server charges are high, and my commitment to blogging isn’t as strong as it once was. 

My original idea when starting a self-hosted site was to be free to change things I desired without being constrained. Because of my current employment, income wasn’t a consideration. Drawing a second income would not be permitted. 

I’ve seen how WordPress.com has developed since then, and there are fewer constraints and more freedom. 

I’ve just paid my server fees for three years, so this is not something I’ll embark on soon, but it will be something to plan and execute at the right time. 

Final thoughts 

The pork was perfectly cooked. It was tender and juicy.

  • Do you like pork chops? How do you like them cooked, and what do you serve with them? 
  • Do you enjoy meeting people in person who you’ve only known online? 
  • What are you reading at present? 

Have a good week, and happy eating and living. 

Photographs

Pork chop
Pork chop
Pork chop
Pork chop
Pork chop
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce
Pork chop with red cabbage, potato wedges, and spicy tomato sauce

Beef short rib stew

Posted by Gary

If you don’t want to read the introduction, click here for the recipe.

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed your week. Mine has been smooth going apart from a near miss last Sunday. The cold front mentioned in last week’s post resulted in hail, sleet, and snow in the region. I was driving on Sunday and had to go through a slurry of ice. As I slowed down, I watched a car in my rear vision mirror slide off the road. Fortunately, the occupants appeared to be okay.

I’m not used to driving on ice; I’m grateful for modern automotive technology, such as anti-lock brakes. 

On Tuesday evening, the Australian treasurer moved the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2023–24. I dare not comment on the appropriation bill; apart from knowing in its depths, some exciting work is ahead for my area. 

Recipe

Ingredients

  • Olive oil 
  • Bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat (0.8 kg at $23.50/kg) 
  • Salt – Iodised 
  • Black peppercorns 
  • Onion, chopped 
  • Carrot, chopped 
  • Celery, chopped 
  • Garlic, minced 
  • Tomatoes 
  • Cooking sherry 
  • Beef stock 
  • Black beans, rinsed and drained 
  • Lentils, rinsed and drained 
Beef short ribs

Instructions

Ribs

  1. Brown the ribs in a hot oven first. 
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. 
  3. Add the dripping juices from the oven tray. 
  4. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the saucepan and cook until softened. 
  5. Add the sherry and cook until reduced by half. 
  6. Add the beef broth, peppercorns, black beans, and lentils, and bring the contents to a simmer. 
  7. Transfer the contents to a pressure cooker and add the ribs. 
  8. Cook under pressure for one hour. 
  9. Allow the pressure to equilibrate, and then remove the lid. 
  10. Remove the ribs and set aside. 
  11. Transfer the remaining contents of the pressure cooker to a saucepan. 
  12. Bring the saucepan to a simmer to reduce the fluid. 
  13. Pull the beef from the ribs and add it to the saucepan. 
Beef short ribs out of the pressure cooker

Pumpkin

  1. Cut a pumpkin into chunks. 
  2. Season with salt and rub the pumpkin with olive oil. 
  3. Cook the pumpkin in an oven at 180 °C (fan forced) for 45 minutes. 
  4. Mash the pumpkin (keeping the skin on) with a fork and flavour with sesame oil as the pumpkin is mashed. 

Plating up

  1. Place a smear of pumpkin mash on a warmed dinner plate. 
  2. Spoon some of the rib stew onto the mash. 
  3. Serve with some crispy Brussels sprouts. 
  4. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  5. Eat with a fork. 

Thoughts on the meal 

You may have noticed I’ve got into a groove with lentils and beans. I figure I can extend the value of the meat with the legumes. 

This stew will keep me going all week like the oyster blade and lentil stew did last week. 

Final thoughts 

Do you have much experience with driving on ice? 

Do you get excited by the passage of appropriation bills so you can undertake new work? 

I hope you fill the coming week with happiness and joy. 

Photographs 

Here is a gallery of photographs. Click on one image and then scroll or swipe through them.

Beef short ribs
Beef short ribs
Beef short ribs
Celery Carrot Onion
Tomatoes
Black beans
Beef short ribs out of the pressure cooker
Black beans and lentils from the pressure cooker
Beef short rib stew with black beans and lentils, served with pumpkin mash and Brussels sprouts
Beef short rib stew with black beans and lentils, served with pumpkin mash and Brussels sprouts
Beef short rib stew with black beans and lentils, served with pumpkin mash and Brussels sprouts
Beef short rib stew with black beans and lentils, served with pumpkin mash and Brussels sprouts
Beef short rib stew with black beans and lentils, served with pumpkin mash and Brussels sprouts

A piece of ground full of lentils

Posted by Gary

If you don’t want to read the introduction, click here for the recipe. 

Dear Reader, 

Introduction 

Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice

My inspiration for this week is last Sunday’s sermon from church. If a month has five Sundays, the church has a guest preacher with a missionary focus. Last week, we had a Royal Australian Navy chaplain preach. Although he’s not a visitor – a regular at our church – he dressed up in his uniform for the service. 

The passage he expounded on was 2 Samuel 23:8–39. As a warfighter in the ADF with deployments to combat zones, this is an excellent passage for him to preach. 

For me, a home cook, though, the relevant verse was 11. “And after him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.” 

Tonight, I’m using lentils. I also added some meat. Feel free to ignore the meat for a vegetable-only dish.  

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker 
  • Saucepan 

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Oyster blade steak – diced 
  • Flour
  • Garlic powder
  • Garlic clove
  • Salt
  • One stalk celery 
  • A diced carrot 
  • Swiss brown mushrooms
  • 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. Add the curry powder and rosemary leaves when the onion has become translucent. 
  3. Place some flour, garlic powder, and salt into a bag.
  4. Add the steak and shake the bag to coat the meat with the dry ingredients.
  5. Transfer the sautéd vegetables to the pressure cooker vessel, add more oil, and then add the steak. 
  6. Get the steak caramelised and transfer it to the pressure cooker vessel. 
  7. Fry off the mushrooms and then add them to the pressure cooker.
  8. Pour some stock into the saucepan to remove the fond and then decant to the pressure cooker. 
  9. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, and remaining stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  10. To add a kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid. 
  11. Cook under pressure for about 30 minutes. 
  12. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally, and open the cover. 
  13. Spoon into a bowl along with some rice.
  14. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  15. Eat with a spoon.  

Thoughts on the meal 

A cold front from the southern ocean has been moving north across the southern parts of Australia. Snow is falling in some areas, and we’ve already had subzero mornings this week. 

This meal with some rice helped warm me from the inside. 

I will have enough leftover for the week. 

Final thoughts 

Church life has changed a lot over the last few decades. Rather than turning up with old-fashioned bibles, we open an app on our smartphone or tablet. Smart devices are the appurtenances of church culture. I’ve already started using artificial intelligence to assist in gathering information for bible study. 

I ate this meal while watching the Dolphins play the Sharks. This weekend, all the NRL games are being played in Brisbane. It was a magnificent win (36–16) for the Dolphins and their coach, Mr Bennett who has now coached 900 NRL games.

Back to the top

Photographs 

A photograph of some diced onion, celery, and carrot
Onion, celery, and carrot
A photograph of some oyster blade steaks on a plate
Oyster blade steak
A photograph of some diced oyster blade steak in a bowl
Oyster blade steak – diced
A photograph of some diced oyster blade steak which has been coated in flour, garlic powder, and salt.
Oyster blade steak – diced and floured
A photograph of some diced oyster blade steak that has been coated in flour, garlic powder, and salt, and then caramelised in a fry pan.
Oyster blade steak – diced, floured, and fried
A photograph of Swiss brown mushrooms in a bowl
Swiss brown mushrooms
A photograph of lentils in a bowl
Lentils
A photograph of Borlotti beans in a bowl
Borlotti beans
A photograph of black beans in a bowl
Black beans
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice
Beef, beans, and lentil stew with brown rice

What is oyster blade steak?

Oyster blade steak is a meat cut from an animal’s shoulder blade. It’s under the shoulder blade and has a tough line of connective tissue running through the middle. It is a tough and chewy muscle. 

Back to the top

Beans and rice

Posted by Gary

If you do not care to read the introductory guff, click here for the recipe.

Dear Reader, 

I hope you had a good week. I had a fabulous week. Everything went swimmingly well, and it ended peacefully. 

Tonight, I am adding beans to my congee. I got the idea from Rebecca Clyde, from the Facebook group “Cooking for One”. Rebecca is a US-based registered nutritionist who shares recipes on her blog. Her recipe for beans and rice cooked in a pressure cooker caught my attention because she separated the beans and the rice in the cooking vessel. I decided against the rice and bean schism and cleaved them in congee.

I’ll have enough leftover congee for many meals and for developing resistant starches to assist my gut microbiota[1–3]. 

What have I been listening to?

Jessica Cyphers blogs about writing, teaching, and travel, and she has been sharing in her weekly newsletter some snippets from a book she’s reading, titled, The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté and his son Daniel Maté and published in 2022. Daniel narrates the audio version of the book. The subtitle for the book is Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture. Gabor is a Canadian medical practitioner who clarifies the psychosomatic basis for disease. As a specialist pathologist, I find his thesis interesting. I think clinicopathological correlation should always include psychiatric input.

In contrast to the Armour of God sermon series (sixty-eight sermons) by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Ephesians 6:10–13, I’ve enjoyed; I am listening to 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene to understand better some behaviours I see around me. While Elon Musk does not enamour me as a person, I have more respect for the name Tesla having listened to the first seven chapters of this book.

Stuff on the screen

Did you hear about the incident with the Spanish MasterChef TV show? I imagine the contestants execrated the food managers on that occasion. I’ve not watched the Australian version of MasterChef or My Kitchen Rules for a few years because I can no longer access free-to-air TV. I don’t know if similar situations have occurred in Australia. 

One food-related program I did watch with interest is Hunger on Netflix. The actors are Thai, and the story revolves around a noodle cook invited to join the restaurant crew under a chef who attracts wealthy clientele. It is not a movie for the faint-hearted. 

Also, on Netflix, I watched Miriam Margoyles in her three-part documentary, “Almost Australian“. I watched it on Anzac Day. Coincidentally, Miriam visits Anzac Hill in Alice Springs in Episode Two. I attended a dawn service on Anzac Hill years ago during my Darwin years. Many of the crew from HMAS Arunta were present (the Arunta name and original motto, ‘Conquer or Die,’ recognise the ship’s history and ongoing relationship with the Arrernte people of Central Australia), with a RAN Chaplain officiating the service. I recommend watching Australia Unmasked.

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 
  • Air fryer 

Ingredients 

  • Brown rice – 1 cup
  • Black beans (or pinto beans) – ½ cup 
  • Vegetable stock – 2 litres 
  • Chicken thighs – 2 thighs 
  • Duck breast
  • Brussels sprouts 
  • Broccoli 
  • Salt 
  • Pepper 

Instructions 

  1. Wash the rice until the water is clear. 
  2. Wash the beans to remove grit and dirt. 
  3. Bisect the chicken thighs with a machete, cane knife, or humungous Chinese meat cleaver. 
  4. Boil the vegetable stock and add some dried porcini mushrooms until the mushrooms bloat and become tender. 
  5. Add the mushroom-enhanced stock to the pressure cooker with the rice, beans, duck, and chicken. 
  6. Cook everything for one hour. 
  7. Allow the pressure to equilibrate and open the lid. 
  8. Remove the bones from the meat, and then with a wooden spoon, mix everything so the rice, beans, and chicken are combined. 
  9. Season to taste. 
  10. Cook some halved Brussels sprouts and broccoli florets in the air fryer. 
  11. Spoon some congee into a bowl and add some soy sauce. 
  12. Serve the congee with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and some spring onions. 
  13. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  14. Eat with a spoon. 

Thoughts on the meal

Congee aficionados might object to the addition of beans. The hue of the congee was darker than normal; however, the taste was amazing. I like to experiment and try new things.

The congee was enjoyable and comforting.

Photographs

Black beans
Brown rice
Porcini mushrooms
Black beans
Brown rice
Porcini mushrooms
Chicken Duck
Chicken Duck
Chicken Duck
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli
Rice and bean congee with mushrooms, chicken, and duck; served with Brussels sprouts and broccoli

What else have I eaten this week?

References

  1. Wen, J.J., et al., Resistant starches and gut microbiota. Food Chem, 2022. 387: p. 132895.
  2. DeMartino, P. and D.W. Cockburn, Resistant starch: impact on the gut microbiome and health. Curr Opin Biotechnol, 2020. 61: p. 66-71.
  3. Raigond, P., R. Ezekiel, and B. Raigond, Resistant starch in food: a review. J Sci Food Agric, 2015. 95(10): p. 1968-78.