Cauliflower

Sous vide lamb backstrap

Posted by Gary

Hello dear reader

How are you this week? I had a fabulous week. Spiritually, personally, and professionally, it’s been a great week.

It’s been a weird week weather-wise in Canberra. Some days have been warmer than expected, and other days it’s been windy and cold. My gut is telling me we’re really into the autumn run and temperatures and humidity are about to plummet.

Sous vide lamb backstrap with pomegranate, mint, and coriander pumpkin mash plus curry roast cauliflower

Ingredients

  • Lamb backstrap (eye of the tenderloin)
  • Salt
  • White pepper
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Ground cardamom
  • Ground rosemary leaves
  • Ground nutmeg
  • Ground coriander seeds
  • Fresh coriander leaves
  • Fresh mint leaves
  • Frozen pomegranate arils
  • Kent pumpkin
  • Sour cream
  • Vegetable oil
  • Olive oil
  • Cauliflower
  • Curry powder

Instructions

  1. Go to the supermarket or butcher and buy a piece of lambstrap.
  2. When you get home dry the surface of the meat with absorbent kitchen paper.
  3. In a small bowl or ramekin make a spice mix with the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, rosemary leaves, nutmeg, and coriander seeds. I mix with chopsticks because I’m Asian. 😉
  4. Pour the spice mix onto a small tray and then season the meat by pressing the meat into the spice mix and cover the entire surface.
  5. Place the seasoned meat into a vacuum bag and vacuum slea the bag.
  6. Store the meat in the refrigerator for a few hours. Overnight storage would be better, but it’s not essential.
  7. When it’s time to cook, turn the oven on to 180 °C (fan forced).
  8. With a Chinese cleaver cut the pumpkin into chunks about the size of a squash ball or perhaps a little smaller.
  9. With a paring knife, trim the stalk of the cauliflower but don’t remove it. The stalk is good. There’s nothing wrong with a firm stalk, it’ll be fresh and good to eat. If the stalk is limp then it’s probably not very good and no amount of paring will help.
  10. Pour a little vegetable oil into the palm of your hand and rub your hands together and then rub each piece of pumpkin. Place the pumpkin onto a baking sheet.
  11. Pour some oil over the cauliflower. You’ll need more oil because of all the added surface area on the cauliflower. Rubbing it on with your hands will help but don’t be stingy with the oil.
  12. Sprinkle a generous amount of curry powder over the cauliflower and rub it on the cauliflower to smooth out any oily lumpy bits.
  13. Put the cauliflower on the baking tray next to the pumpkin chunks.
  14. Cook the vegetables until you can penetrate the pumpkin with the tip of a sharp paring knife and it slides in and out without any resistance. It should feel tight and not loose. Loose and sloppy means you’ve gone too far.
  15. Heat the water bath to 55 °C (131 °F) and cook the lamb for 40 minutes.
  16. Remove the lamb when it’s finished cooking.
  17. Remove the meat from the vacuum bag and dry the surface with absorbent kitchen paper.
  18. Heat a cast iron skillet and wipe the hot surface with some rice bran oil and sear the lamb.
  19. Let the meat rest while attending to the vegetables.
  20. Place the hot pumpkin into a bowl and mash them roughly with a fork.
  21. Mix through some sour cream to make the mash a little more creamy.
  22. Slice the meat to the thickness you desire.
  23. Smear the mash over the dinner plate and place the slices of lamb on one side of the mash. On the other side, garnish the mash with some roughly torn mint leaves and coriander leaves. Add some pomegranate arils which will add a lovely sweetness to the mash. I think pomegranate arils also add an amazing visual appeal. It’s almost sensual. I wish I had got some dried flower petals to add but I didn’t want to drive to Kingston to buy some.
  24. Place the roast cauliflower on the plate.
  25. I would use a decent steak knife with this meal rather than a standard dinner knife.
  26. Give thanks to the Lord.
  27. Enjoy the meal.

How was the meal?

This dish was inspired by my girlfriend. She loves pomegranate and last weekend we enjoyed a slow-roasted lamb rump served with a pomegranate and mint salad. That dish was superior to what I cooked tonight. The slow-roasting process produces firmer yet still tender flesh. It also had more flavour through the meat itself.

The seasoning I used was distinctive and I could taste it with each mouthful but I think I prefer last weekend’s rump over the backstrap.

All that said, this was still pretty good and I’ve sequestered half of it to the refrigerator for another meal.

Final thoughts

  • Do you like pemegranate arils in a dish?
  • How thick do you like to slice your meat?
  • How was your week?
Sous vide lamb backstrap with pomegranate, mint, and coriander pumpkin mash plus curry roast cauliflower
Sous vide lamb backstrap with pomegranate, mint, and coriander pumpkin mash plus curry roast cauliflower
Sous vide lamb backstrap with pomegranate, mint, and coriander pumpkin mash plus curry roast cauliflower

Standing ribeye roast and roast vegetables.

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

How are you this week? I hope all is well with you and yours.

It’s a funny thing; I enter the supermarket with a notion of less meat and lots of healthful vegetables. My health concerns me because my GP recently referred me to a pathologist for some pathology tests, and it turns out, I’m still a typical middle-aged Australian bloke! 😉 If you’re interested, search for “metabolic syndrome” in any search engine.

Then, as I wander the aisles in the meat section, I see something which lures me toward it. I even turned away, averted my eyes, and tried to look at skinless chicken pieces, but this ribeye roast seemed to be calling out to me. I could hear it calling me. “Gary” “Gary, come here to me.” “Gary, pick me up, feel me, touch me, feel my weight.” “Gary, buy me and then eat me.”

Who am I to say no?

It’s been a while since I’ve used my wireless meat thermometer to cook a piece of beef.

As I was applying some salt for an overnight dry brine, I was drooling at the thought of chewing the meat from the bones.

Salted ribeye roast ready for overnight dry brining

Ingredients

  • Ribeye roast
  • Iodised salt
  • Mustard (choose what you lust after)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Cauliflower
  • Curry powder
  • Pumpkin
  • Brown sugar
  • White onion
  • Instant gravy
Coles Finest. Australian Angus Beef. Ribeye roast.

Instructions

  1. Remove the meat from the packaging.
  2. Dry off the raw meat juices with absorbent paper towel.
  3. Generously season all surfaces of the beef with salt.
  4. Place the roast on a rack over a tray and place in the refrigerator overnight.
  5. Around the middle of the afternoon, cut an onion and gently saute the onion in some oil until the onion is caramelised.
  6. About an hour before you plan to start cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator. The surface of the meat should look dry and the colour should be darker.
  7. Heat the oven to 230 °C (fan forced).
  8. Pour a little neutral oil into your hand and rub the lubricant into your palms and them massage your pumpkin and cauliflower.
  9. Season the pumpkin with some brown sugar and salt. Season the cauliflower with some curry powder and salt.
  10. Put the pumpkin and cauliflower on a tray and put them into the oven for 15 minutes (prior to inserting the meat).
  11. Insert the thermometer into the meat, and penetrate the eye fillet until only the root end of your probe is visible.
  12. Open the app and set up the cook for rare knowing that from past experience the app tends to overshoot a little.
  13. With bare hands or after donning some cooking-safe gloves, dip two fingers into a pot of mustard and liberally apply the mustard to the dry surface of the meat. Gently massage this flavour-filled lube all over your meat and even the bare bones.
  14. Cook the meat according to the app.
  15. When the app indicates it’s time to remove the meat, withdraw it from the warmth of the oven and cover it with an aluminium foil tent while it rests. American friends, that’s aluminium!!!
  16. The app should indicate the resting time too.
  17. Check the pumpkin and cauliflower. They should be soft enough to permit the easy insertion of a skewer so it easily slides in and out.
  18. While the meat is resting, make the instant gravy according to the manufacturer’s instructions for use. Mix the caramelised onion with the gravy.
  19. Sharpen your carving knife and ponder “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27:17‬ ‭NLT
  20. Cleave the meat between the ribs and place one piece into a container for refrigeration. With the other piece, take a boning knife, and running the blade along the bone dissect the meat from the bone.
  21. Place the meat on the dinner plate and lay the rib over it. Place the roast vegetables next to the meat and then spoon gravy over the meat, rib, and vegetables.
  22. This is meal when you want to use your best steak knife.
  23. Give thanks to the LORD for every good thing you have in life, especially friends and family, as well as this meal of meaty goodness.‬‬
  24. Gnaw the meat from the rib and feel free to add more gravy so you can suck off the bone and enjoy the salty goodness.

How did the meal taste?

The meat was juicy and tender. The crust which had formed in the oven had a fantastic flavour with the mustard and salt. Adding a little mustard to the bare rib bones added a little flavour bonus when sucking on the bones.

This week’s audio entertainment

I’ve been listening to “Killing Floor” by Lee Child. The protagonist is Jack Reacher. You may be aware of two Jack Reacher movies starring Tom Cruise. I remember there was controversy because, in the books, Jack Reacher is a giant of man, while Tom Cruise is my height. That is, he’s a short arse.

If you like a bit of action, intrigue, and crime, I can highly recommend the books and the TV show, which is now streaming.

I’ve also been listening to a new podcast, viz., What’s the History? The hosts are Claire and Fi, and they’re from Ireland. I’ve known Claire for more than a decade. She’s a blogger and a Tweep, and I also connect with her on Instagram. Claire and Fi are school teachers with skills in English and History. They’re both hilarious, very entertaining, and having listened to them, I reckon they’d be ace school teachers. Search for “What’s the History?” in your favourite podcatcher, and you will enjoy this weekly show, I’m sure.

Final thoughts

  • How has your week been?
  • Are you a fan of the Jack Reacher books? What did you think of the movies with Tom Cruise as Reacher?
  • Do you like history podcasts? Do you get sucked into hosts with Irish accents?

I’d love it if you left a comment or a reply in the comment box.

Coles Angus beef Rib eye roast Dry brining
Coles Angus beef Rib eye roast
Coles Angus beef Rib eye roast Dry brining
Coles Angus beef Rib eye roast Dry brining
Dry brine Ribeye roast
Dry brine Ribeye roast
Caramelised onions
Dry brine ribeye roast rubbed with mustard with the MEATER™ probe inserted
Dry brine ribeye roast rubbed with mustard with the MEATER™ probe inserted
MEATER™ ribeye roast
Carved ribeye roast
Carved ribeye roast
Standing ribeye roast and roast vegetables
Standing ribeye roast and roast vegetables
Standing ribeye roast and roast vegetables

Ribeye Roast

Image Source: Traeger Grills.

Pressure Cooker Brisket

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

I’ve never cooked brisket in a pressure cooker before. I’ve only ever done it in a slow cooker. 

If I can cook something in the slow cooker, why can’t I do something in the pressure cooker?

At first, I thought I might be my usual lazy self and dump the entire lump of meat into the autoclave and just let it rip. Then, I thought, since I’m in lockdown, why not be a little more creative.

So using a Japanese meat cleaver, because that’s how I roll, I cut the brisket into large bite-sized (if you’re greyhound) chunks and roll the beef in flour and then ‘brown’ the floured meat off.

To keep it authentically unhealthy, I used beef dripping in the skillet to brown the floured brisket.

During the next week, I will eat the leftover chunks of brisket for lockdown dinners.

Pressure cooker brisket with potato, pumpkin, and cauliflower.

Ingredients

  • Beef brisket (1 kilogram)
  • Flour
  • Beef dripping
  • Red wine (1 cup)
  • Beef stock (1 cup)
  • Potato (1)
  • Brown onion (1)
  • Barbecue sauce (½ cup)
  • Worcestershire sauce (¼ cup)
  • Pumpkin
  • Cauliflower

Instructions

  1. Sharpen the meat cleaver and think about Proverbs 27:17 (Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another). A sharp knife is a beautiful thing.
  2. Slice the brisket and dice the meat into large chunks.
  3. Put some flour into a bowl and coat the pieces of beef one at a time.
  4. Place the floured meat into a tray.
  5. Heat a skillet and add some beef dripping until it’s hot.
  6. Add the floured chunks of meat and brown the surfaces. Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet. You want the surface of the meat to fry and not steam.
  7. In the pressure cooker, add the beef, brown onion, spud, and all the flavouring ingredients from the list apart from the pumpkin and cauliflower. 
  8. Seal the pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes.
  9. Rub some oil over the pumpkin and cauliflower and put them into a hot oven until you can penetrate each of them with a sharp paring knife and not feel any resistance.
  10. After the pressure cooker finishes, allow the pressure to equalise and open the lid.
  11. Remove the meat and place all of it into a container apart from a few chunks for dinner.
  12. Serve the brisket with cauliflower, pumpkin, and spud.
  13. Give thanks to the Lord and enjoy the meal while listening to a sermon podcast from a good preacher.

Final thoughts

The brisket tasted pretty good. It had a good mouthfeel and flavour. Cooking the meat in a pressure cooker was pretty easy. I think setting and forgetting in a slow cooker would be just as good.

What’s happened this week?

The biggest news is that Canberra went into COVID-19 lockdown. We have cases linked with the outbreak in Sydney, which has now spread across many regions in New South Wales.

The saddest news was reading about the death of my favourite teacher at school. If you have Facebook, you can read what I wrote here. I am pretty sad about the death of Mr Stephenson; he was a fantastic teacher. Good teachers are what we need for our young people.

If you want to connect with me on Facebook, feel free to send me a friend request. 

The best things this week included dinner with friends from church and reconnecting with an old friend. 

Stay safe, friends.

  • Beef brisket
  • Brisket sliced with a meat cleaver
  • Brisket sliced and cubed with a meat cleaver
  • Floured cubes of brisket
  • Beef dripping
  • Beef brisket frying in beef dripping
  • Beef brisket frying in beef dripping
  • Browned beef brisket
  • Roast Pumpkin
  • Pressure cooker brisket with potato, pumpkin, and cauliflower.
  • Pressure cooker brisket with potato, pumpkin, and cauliflower.

Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower, smothered with gravy

Posted by Gary

Good evening dear readers.

It was a busy day with work, so I sat at my table while the slow cooker did its thing.

Coles Beef short rib fingers

Ingredients

  • Beef short rib fingers
  • Lentils
  • Beef stock
  • Red wine
  • Barbecue sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Cauliflower
  • Pumpkin
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Instant gravy

Instructions

  1. In the slow cooker, add the lentils, red wine, beef stock, a good squirt of the Worcestershire sauce, and a few good squirts of the barbecue sauce.
  2. Cook for 8 hours.
  3. Place the pumpkin and cauliflower onto a baking sheet and rub olive oil over each.
  4. Squirt Tabasco sauce over the pumpkin and cauliflower.
  5. Cook the cauliflower and pumpkin in a hot oven for 45 minutes until a sharp paring knife penetrates both vegetables with no resistance.
  6. Plate up the beef on a dinner plate, add a few spoonfuls of the lentils, and then add the pumpkin and cauliflower on the plate.
  7. Serve with instant gravy.

Final thoughts

  • How are you going?
  • What do you think I’ll do with the leftover beef and lentils?
  • Coles Beef short rib fingers
  • Pumpkin and cauliflower ready for roasting
  • Beef short rib fingers out of the slow cooker
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.
  • Beef short rib fingers and lentils with roast Tabasco flavoured pumpkin and cauliflower. Smothered with gravy.

Tuna cauliflower cake

Posted by Gary

Tuna cauliflower cake made with tinned tuna and packet cauliflower rice as a lower carbohydrate version of tuna cakes which are normally made with potato mash.

Dedicated to Blogger, Mabel Kwong, who put me onto YouTuber, Janice Fung recently and her latest video is about tinned tuna.

Thanks to blogging and YouTube.
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Yes, that’s nori in there

Tinned tuna and cooked cauliflower rice with parsley and nori.
Tinned tuna and cooked cauliflower rice with parsley and nori.
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