Meals for one

Lamb shanks

Posted by Gary

I cooked this meal last month. It was the first large meal I cooked in a new pressure cooker whose cooking vessel had a larger diameter. Sometimes with the old pressure cooker, the bones from the lamb shanks would be longer than the diameter. A small-diameter bowl was not a problem for cooking but laying them flat made them look neater in the bowl.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Cast iron skillet
  • Stick blender

Ingredients

  • Lamb shanks
  • Flour
  • Oregano (dried herbs)
  • Rosemary (dried herbs)
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Pepper (ground, black)
  • Onion (chopped)
  • Carrot (diced)
  • Celery (diced)
  • Tomatoes (tinned)
  • Red wine
  • Stock
  • Butter
  • Flour
  • Packet potato mash

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to make a dry rub for the lamb shanks.
  2. Brown the shanks in a skillet with some oil.
  3. Remove the shanks and sauté the carrots, celery, and onion.
  4. Deglaze the fond with the wine and stock, and then add in the tin of tomatoes.
  5. Bring the liquid to a boil and turn off the heat.
  6. Transfer the sauce to the pressure cooker and lay the shanks on top.
  7. Cook under pressure for 45 minutes.
  8. Make a roux with butter and flour and set it aside to thicken the cooking liquor.
  9. Remove the shanks with care to avoid the meat falling from the bone.
  10. Cook the packet of potato mash according to the instructions using microwave radiation.
  11. Spoon the potato mash into a bowl.
  12. Sieve the cooking liquor from the vegetables.
  13. Discard the vegetable matter.
  14. Thicken the cooking liquor to make gravy and spoon the sauce over the shanks and potato.
  15. Give thanks to the Lord.
  16. Eat with a fork.
Lamb shanks
Lamb shanks
Floured lamb shanks
Browned lamb shanks
Diced carrot, celery, and shallots
Sautéd carrot, celery, and shallots
Braised lamb shanks in gravy with potato mash
Braised lamb shanks in gravy with potato mash
Braised lamb shanks in gravy with potato mash

    Congee

    Posted by Gary

    Hello there,

    I’ve cooked congee (jook) many times. Tonight, I’m sharing a couple of versions for readers to consider. The recipes are identical apart from the meat used.

    I went with chicken for one version, and for the other, I went with pork.

    Regular readers may notice that I’m doing something different with these recipes. I’m using more liquid to approach the texture and consistency of Mum’s jook. I usually cook my congee to a thicker consistency. Still, I know many people who like something a little less dense. I’m also using porcini mushrooms for a flavour burst to give greater umami. If I had easy access, I would substitute dried scallops for the mushrooms. The other ingredient I’d like to add is wood ear mushroom for the mouthfeel.

    Recipe

    Equipment

    • Pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • White long-grain rice (1 cup)
    • Chicken stock (8 cups [2 L]) (you could also use a vegan broth)
    • Porcini mushrooms
    • Mushroom water (1 cup [250 mL])
    • Chicken (3 maryland[i] pieces) (you could omit this for a vegan version or exchange it with a slab of pork belly for a porcine version)
    • Salt
    • Spring onions
    • Chilli flakes

    Instructions

    1. Reconstitute the dried mushrooms with hot water and wait for 30 minutes
    2. Wash the rice until the water runs clear
    3. Add the rice, stock, and mushroom water to the pressure cooker
    4. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces
    5. Add mushroom pieces, chicken maryland pieces, or pork belly into the pressure cooker.
    6. Cook under pressure for 30 minutes and allow 15 minutes for a natural release of pressure
    7. Carefully remove the meat and transfer it to a bowl
    8. Pull the flesh (from the bones of the chicken) using forks
    9. Discard the bones if using chicken
    10. Stir the rice gruel and keep heating to the desired thickness
    11. Stir through the pulled meat
    12. Salt to taste
    13. Add and stir through chilli flakes to taste
    14. Transfer everything to a large serving bowl
    15. Transfer congee to individual bowls
    16. Give thanks to the Lord
    17. Serve with spring onions, shredded lettuce, and soy sauce

    Thoughts on the recipe and meal

    • If I were cooking for more than just me, I’d use a whole chicken or more thigh pieces and perhaps add a carcass. Sometimes I see necks and giblets on sale, which would also be suitable for flavour.
    • If you like a nice bit of pork, I recommend butt, which is shoulder and not gluteal muscle.
    • This dish is vegan if you remove the meat and use a vegan stock.
    • When I was a child, we had shredded lettuce, ham, and soy sauce to add to our bowls.
    • Each recipe makes five large bowls of congee.

    [i] For non-Australian readers, the chicken maryland is a thigh and drumstick piece in Australia. I know chicken maryland is a dish in the USA, and Maryland is a state of the union.

    Rehydrated porcini mushrooms
    Diced rehydrated porcini mushrooms
    Unwashed white long-grain rice
    Washed white long-grain rice
    Chicken maryland
    Chicken maryland
    Pulled chicken meat
    Congee with chicken
    Congee with chicken
    Congee with chicken
    Leftover congee with spring onions and chilli flakes
    Leftover congee with spring onions and chilli flakes
    Leftover congee with wombok
    Leftover congee with wombok
    Leftover chicken and wombok
    Leftover congee
    Leftover congee
    Photos for the chicken congee
    Pork belly
    Pork belly
    Pork belly congee
    Pork belly congee
    Photos for the pork congee

    This week’s meals

    Posted by Gary

    Hello Readers,

    I hope you’re doing well. I’ve had a good week punctuated by a public holiday on Thursday. With the recent (2022-09-08) death of Elizabeth II (former Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms), Australia’s prime minister declared a public holiday which state and territory leaders had to gazette. Thursday was declared a National Day of Mourning.

    I spent the morning reading review articles from Clinical Microbiology Reviews, which is a favourite journal.[1-5] In the afternoon, I worked while a movie and documentaries on World War Two played in the background.

    Tonight’s dinner. Fillet mignon and pea soup.

    The public holiday reinforced my opinion that rather than named public holidays, I’d prefer we had a long weekend each month apart from April. I’d suggest rather than a public holiday on the 26th day of January; we have a public holiday on the third Friday of February for everyone to consider our need to reconcile ourselves with all people living in Australia and to celebrate the rich history of all the peoples who have lived on our island continent. I’d like this day in February to be like the USA’s Thanksgiving holiday. A day for family and friends to gather, for cultural and ethnic groups to enjoy, for all of us to recognise Australia’s first nations people, and perhaps to indulge in celebratory food.

    If people wish to celebrate or honour days, they should do it as recreation leave. I’d take 25th December and Good Friday. As a nation, I’d always want to take the 25th of April for a day to remember those who served our nation defending our national interests and deliberately reflect on our positions about armed conflict and warfighting.

    For balance, I would also give everyone an extra five days of recreation leave for 25 days annually.

    I recognise many people would object to my approach, and that’s fine. Everyone is welcome to have an opinion. My opinions are mine, and sharing them here is what I do. Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments box at the end of this post.

    This week’s meals

    I’m not sharing a recipe tonight. I’m cooking a steak and having it with some leftover pea soup. There’s nothing that interesting in that.

    Instead, I’m sharing the meals I ate during the week. The reason for this blog is to help readers who don’t think they can cook a meal for themselves or themselves and their partner. Last week I was chatting with a friend who had just returned to work after her first maternity leave. Her partner is also a busy health professional, and my friend was struggling with ideas for quick meals. Her family are meat eaters, so I suggested cooking a joint of beef or lamb or perhaps some chicken portions on the weekend. With this, a plan can be developed for the relatively quick and simple end-of-workday dinners.

    Monday night

    Leftover porterhouse steak with wombok and stock.

    Porterhouse steak Wombok Soup

    This bowl of soup is simply made by boiling some stock and pouring it over wombok, spring onions, chilli, and steak.

    Tuesday night

    A plainer version of Monday’s dinner.

    Porterhouse steak Wombok Soup

    This bowl of soup is simply made by boiling some stock and pouring it over wombok and steak.

    Wednesday night

    Leftover porterhouse steak sandwich

    Porterhouse steak with lettuce and mayonnaise on Turkish bread.
    Porterhouse steak with lettuce and mayonnaise on Turkish bread. Served with dipping gravy and extra meat and salad.

    I applied mayonnaise to the inside of the Turkish bread and then added cream cheese. I tossed some lettuce leaves with the mayonnaise too. I toasted the sandwich in a frying pan with the lid on to get it crunchy.

    I made instant gravy for dipping the sandwich in and the extra steak.

    Thursday breakfast, lunch, and dinner

    Steamed egg, wilted spinach, and cheese

    Steamed egg with wilted spinach and cheese. Served with coffee.

    Cream cheese on pieces of porterhouse steak

    Porterhouse steak with cream cheese

    Speck and pea soup

    Speck and pea soup

    I cooked the speck and split peas in a pressure cooker and then made the soup with some extra green peas.

    Friday night

    Speck and steamed eggs

    Breakfast for dinner. Speck and eggs with wilted spinach and tomatoes.

    References

    1. Chowdhury, F., et al., Diagnosis, Management, and Future Control of Cholera. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2022. 35(3): p. e00211-21.
    2. Philippon, A., et al., Class C β-Lactamases: Molecular Characteristics. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2022. 35(3): p. e00150-21.
    3. Naud, S., et al., Candidate Phyla Radiation, an Underappreciated Division of the Human Microbiome, and Its Impact on Health and Disease. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2022. 35(3): p. e00140-21.
    4. Ansari, S. and Y. Yamaoka, Helicobacter pylori Infection, Its Laboratory Diagnosis, and Antimicrobial Resistance: a Perspective of Clinical Relevance. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2022. 35(3): p. e00258-21.
    5. Heyckendorf, J., et al., Tuberculosis Treatment Monitoring and Outcome Measures: New Interest and New Strategies. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2022. 35(3): p. e00227-21.

    Oven porterhouse steak

    Posted by Gary

    Hello Readers,

    Tonight’s post is a follow-up from last night’s sous vide porterhouse steak.

    I bought a large piece of meat yesterday and split it into two halves.

    I cooked in a water bath last night, and tonight I’m cooking half in a toaster oven.

    Cream cheese and last night’s sous vide porterhouse steak

    Recipe

    Equipment

    • Wireless thermometer
    • Toaster oven
    • Microwave radiation oven
    • Stainless steel skillet

    Ingredients

    • Steak
    • Salt
    • Rice bran oil
    • Leftover gravy (see last night’s post)
    • Packet potato mash (microwave radiation necessary)
    • Spring onions

    Instructions

    Steak

    1. Dry brine the steak with salt overnight.
    2. Heat the toaster oven to 180 °C.
    3. Heat a skillet and then lubricate the hot surface with oil.
    4. Sear the steak until each surface is caramelised.
    5. Insert a wireless thermometer.
    6. The aim is to achieve an internal temperature of about 53 to 54 °C.
    7. Place the steak in the oven and monitor the temperature.
    8. When the desired temperature is reached, turn off the oven and remove the meat.
    9. Allow the meat to rest.
    10. Once rested, the steak can be sliced with a sharp knife and served as you wish.

    Leftover gravy

    • Reheat the gravy with microwave radiation.

    Potato mash

    • Prepare according to the packet instructions.

    Plating up

    1. Spoon the potato mash into the bowl.
    2. Pour the gravy into a dinner bowl.
    3. Arrange the slices of steak over the gravy.
    4. Garnish with spring onions.

    Thoughts on the meal

    I like cooking steak in different ways. For example, when I want to, I’ll just sear each side of a steak and let it rest and eat it like that. Sometimes, like last night, I’ll cook the meat in a water bath. Tonight I went for the oven.

    Photographs

    This section 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 seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
    Porterhouse steak
    Porterhouse steak, potato mash, and gravy
    Porterhouse steak, potato mash, and gravy

    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