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Dear Reader,

Welcome to Yummy Lummy. 😊 My target audience is readers who live alone and are keen to cook meals for themselves. If you’re part of a couple, I hope the recipes are adaptable for you, too.

I also share my opinions (not advice) on topics others may (or may not) be interested in. With my recent change in diet (SAD→CSIRO TWD→LCHF), the blog’s emphasis is shifting to sharing my opinions (not advice) on some food and non-food-related topics. Your comments are welcome, even if I may disagree.

I cite most journal articles or books I’ve read and mentioned. You can see the citations at the bottom of the post.

Introduction

I hope you’ve had a good week. I had a fabulous weekend in Adelaide with Kathleen.

The Canberra weather this week has been good. Most days have been >30 °C (86 °F). The Bureau of Meteorology is issuing alerts about extreme heat, with temperatures in Sydney approaching 40 °C (104 °F). I hope people can stay comfortable and not suffer from heat stress.

What have I been watching?

Frasier (2023)

I subscribed to Paramount+ to watch some of the more recent offerings from Star Trek. I noticed the new Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer (who has also appeared as a guest star on Star Trek: The Next Generation), is on Paramount+. It’s been thirty years since the original Frasier (1993) aired on TV.

The new Frasier is much the same as the old Frasier. The show is still funny.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager

Having watched Star Trek: The Next Generation after listening to Patrick Stewart’s memoir (thanks again, Kathleen, for a lovely gift), I decided to proceed to both DS9 and VOY, given they were broadcast at the same time.

I’m alternating between each series, one episode at a time.

What have I been listening to?

No Middle Name

This book is a collection of Jack Reacher short stories by Lee Child. The settings and plots range across Reacher’s life, including his childhood and adolescence. (Child, 2017)

What have I been reading?

The Wolf you Feed: Wayne Bennett the man, the myth, the mayhem  

This book is an unauthorised biography written by Andrew Webster. It’s one of the best biographies I’ve listened to. While it is unauthorised, the author was able to speak with Wayne Bennett directly many times with Bennett’s knowledge about the book.

Andrew Webster describes someone I’ve been interested in for decades. He has failings and faults like all humans. Andrew Webster fleshes out those faults and failings while highlighting Wayne Bennett’s exceptional qualities. Wayne Bennett polarises people with his words and behaviour. He says very little and is introverted. His advice about rugby league and mentoring young men is worth listening to.

Do you know that conversation starter when you get asked which four people apart from family you’d invite to your final meal? Wayne Bennett would likely make my list.

If you want to read about Wayne Bennett, I recommend reading The Wolf You Feed. (Webster, 2023)

Recipe — steak

While in Adelaide, Kathleen and I experienced a scotch fillet steak from Press Food and Wine restaurant. It was a 700-gram steak served with horseradish cream and mustard. We loved it and were taken by the rich, creamy horseradish cream, which enhanced the beef flavour.

I thought tonight I’d cook a steak and make some horseradish cream. I’ve never made horseradish cream before.

I’d prefer to use fresh horseradish and grate it into the ingredients. I wasn’t able to find any. I will have to explore some local markets next time. Tonight, I’ve made do with prepared horseradish.

Equipment

• Precision cooker/water circulator
• Water bath
• Frypan
• Hand mixer  

Ingredients

• Scotch fillet steak
• Iodised salt
• Horseradish cream (see the separate recipe below)

Instructions

1. Select a nice-looking steak. I bought a scotch fillet (known as ribeye in North America) steak from my local supermarket.
2. Season the steak with salt the day before cooking and place the meat on a rack. Put the steak in the refrigerator and leave it uncovered overnight. This process is known as dry brining.
3. A few hours before you sit down and eat, remove the steak from the refrigerator, place it in a vacuum bag, and seal it. At this stage, you could also add some freshly ground pepper. Sometimes I do this, sometimes I don’t. I’ve become accustomed to a simple approach, and I like my steak well-seasoned with salt and finished in butter.
4. I couldn’t find a thick steak like the one we ate together last week; therefore, I reduced the temperature for the water bath to 55 °C rather than 57 °C. Cook the steak in the water bath at 55 °C for 2 hours.
5. Remove the steak from the bag and dry the surfaces of the steak with an absorbent paper towel. A dry surface helps with caramelisation from the hot frypan.
6. Heat a frypan and sear the steak with some butter.
7. If you have one, you could use a small gas torch to melt butter over the steak.
8. Turn the heat off and move the steak to a cutting board.
9. Cut the steak into thin slices. With scotch fillet, I like to bluntly dissect the spinalis from the longissimus and eat the fat cap or deckle meat at the end.  
10. Form a quenelle of horseradish cream to add to the dinner plate.
11. If you’re following a meat-only diet, just the meat will be more than sufficient to satisfy your hunger. If you’re low-carbohydrate eating, meat and some plant-based foods like avocado, leafy green leaves, olives, and tomatoes are a good combination. If you’re not concerned with carbohydrates, fill your boots. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this steak won’t be suitable.
12. Always give thanks to the Lord.
13. Eat with whatever implements you prefer. Eating with your fingers is okay, in my opinion. I used chopsticks. 🥢

Recipe — Horseradish Cream

Ingredients

• ½ cup full-fat sour cream (at least 30 per cent fat).
• ¼ cup pure pouring cream (not thickened cream).
• Two tablespoons softened cream cheese.
• Two tablespoons of pre-grated or fresh horseradish. I will try to source fresh horseradish for grating in the future.
• One tablespoon Dijon mustard.
• One tablespoon of chopped fresh chives (optional).
• ¼ teaspoon iodised salt.
• Black and white peppercorns will be freshly ground.

Instructions

1. Whisk together the sour cream, heavy cream, and cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. I will use a hand mixer, which my daughters gave me as a birthday gift a few years ago.
2. Stir in the prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, chives (if using), salt, and pepper.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more horseradish for a stronger kick or extra cream cheese for a richer texture.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, allowing the flavours to blend. Refrigeration helps the sauce thicken up slightly.
5. Serve chilled with the steak.

Tips

This horseradish cream can be kept for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition per serving (based on one tablespoon)

Calories:	55
Fat:	6 g (4 g saturated)
Carbohydrates:	1 g (0 g net carbs)
Protein:	1 g

What are the nutrition details for mustard powder?

Mustard powder, derived from ground mustard seeds, offers a unique nutritional profile:

• Calories: Around 28 calories per tablespoon.
• Protein: Approximately 1.7 grams.
• Fat: About 1.7 grams, primarily unsaturated fats.
• Carbohydrates: Roughly 3 grams per tablespoon.
• Fibre: Contains about 1.6 grams of dietary fibre.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Contains small amounts of essential nutrients such as manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.

What are the nutrition details for store-bought Dijon mustard?

Store-bought Dijon mustard typically contains the following approximate nutritional values per tablespoon serving:

• Calories: Around 15–20 calories.
• Protein: Approximately 0.6–1 gram.
• Fat: Roughly 1–1.5 grams, primarily from healthy unsaturated fats.
• Carbohydrates: About 0.5–1 gram of carbohydrates.
• Fibre: Contains minimal fibre, usually less than 0.5 grams per tablespoon.

Store-bought Dijon mustard often has a lower calorie count and fewer carbohydrates than mustard powder, as it includes additional ingredients such as vinegar, spices, and sometimes wine. Its nutritional content might vary slightly among brands due to added ingredients and processing methods.

Thoughts on the meal

I like to think I can cook a steak. While this steak tasted great, it’s nothing on the experience of enjoying a meal with Kathleen.

Final thoughts

• Do you like reading biographies?
• Who would you want at your last meal besides your spouse and family?
• Do you like horseradish cream?
• Did you watch Frasier on TV 30 years ago?

Disclaimer and comments

This post and other posts on this blog are not medical or health advice. I’m sharing my personal experiences from my lived experience. My opinions remain mine.

For health advice, see your regular medical practitioner. For diet advice, consult with appropriately registered professionals.

References

Child, L. (2017). No middle name: The complete collected Jack Reacher short stories (First edition). Delacorte Press.

Webster, A. (2023). The wolf you feed: Wayne Bennett the man, the myth, the mayhem. Macmillan by Pan Macmillan Australia.

Legend

BMI = Body mass index.

CGM = Continuous glucose monitoring.

CSIRO TWD = Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Total Well-being Diet.

CVD = cardiovascular disease.

FMT = Faecal microbiota transfer.

FSANZ = Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

LCHF = low-carbohydrate healthy-fat eating.

Lp(a) = lipoprotein(a).

LDL = low-density lipoprotein.

Red meat = is the meat of mammals, including pork.

SAD = Standard Australian diet (rich in carbohydrates, poor in healthy fats, and heavy in processed and ultra-processed products). 

T1DM = Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

T2DM = Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

T3DM = Type 3 diabetes mellitus is a new term some people are ascribing to Alzheimer’s Disease.

TOS = Star Trek: The Original Series.

TNG = Star Trek: The Next Generation.

ENT = Star Trek: Enterprise (originally called Enterprise).

DS9 = Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.