Ribeye steak

Steak and avocado

Posted by Gary

You can skip the introduction and jump to the recipe if you don’t care for my rambling palaver.

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It feels like my life has been dominated by Velcro since August 2023.

Dear Reader, 

Introduction 

I hope you’ve had a good week. I’ve enjoyed a busy week. It’s hard for me to believe it is now February 2024. It felt like yesterday that I dropped that blade through my foot. 

I’m excited to see Kathleen soon. 

Work has been good, with more international meetings keeping me awake. 

How is the foot? 

What’s happened this week? 

I mentioned last week that I was concerned by some pressure pain. That settled by the end of the weekend. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I attended the orthopædic team’s outpatient clinic. I think I was the last patient to be seen. It was a very busy clinic. 

I had the cast removed, and unfortunately, in the process, the registered nurse who cut it off nicked some skin over the medial aspect of the hallux metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ). She was surprised because the bone saw was not meant to cut skin. Fortunately, the laceration was superficial, and apart from the immediate pain and some blood, I wasn’t too concerned. 

I was then seen by the duty orthopædic trainee, who examined my foot and ankle. She asked me to extend and flex my ankle as well as pronate and supinate my foot. Then she asked me to independently extend and flex my toes, especially my big toe (hallux). As I did this, she palpated the dorsum of my foot over the wound where the tendon repair was. She was happy she could feel the tendon moving. 

I had four questions for the trainee. Would I need to sleep in the boot? Can I shower without the boot? Can I flex my ankle so I can wear trousers? Can I stop taking the oral anticoagulant that was prescribed for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis? 

I need to sleep in the boot for three weeks. 😢

I can shower without the boot. 😊

I can flex and extend my ankle with care. 😊 While I’ve not worn trousers since Christmas day at church, it’s good to know I have this option. The occasional cold day in Canberra (yes, it’s summer) has meant I needed to wrap a towel around my legs. 

No more anticoagulant medication. 😊

I was then asked to wait to see a physiotherapist for a controlled ankle movement (CAM) boot fitting. She explained the range of movement (ROM) I should try to achieve and the limitations I need to observe. She then fitted me with a CAM boot, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from me. 

The CAM boot means much more mobility. 

Lake Ginninderra
CAM Boot

What have I been watching? 

Star Trek Deep Space Nine and Star Trek Voyager 

I continue to alternate between the two series, one episode at a time. 

I am about midway through each series and love the stories. Some of my favourite character interactions occur at this point in both series. 

Michael Dorn, who plays Worf, joins DS9 and starts a relationship with Jadzia Dax. Terry Farrell plays Dax, and she’s one of my favourite actors. In VOY, Jeri Ryan joins the cast as Seven of Nine. Likewise, Ryan is a favourite actor, too. The character development of Seven is fantastic.

What have I been listening to? 

Georgia Ede on Zöe Harcombe’s podcast 

Georgia Ede is a psychiatrist from the USA who uses nutrition to augment her psychiatric training in helping patients with psychiatric diseases. 

Georgia follows a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet, which she believes minimises the inflammation caused by many foods. 

You can find it online if you’d like to listen to the show. An automatically generated transcript is also available online.

Georgia Ede has also written, “Change your diet, change your mind”(Ede, 2024). I’ve got this book lined up to listen to soon. 

Recipe — Steak and avocado

With the extra freedom afforded me by the CAM boot, I thought I’d cook a steak on the stove. I can now stand for a few minutes at a time, so it won’t be as dangerous. 

I chose a scotch fillet steak with a bit of rib attached.  

Equipment 

  • Frypan 

Ingredients 

  • Steak 
  • Salt 
  • Fat — beef
  • Avocado 

Instructions 

  1. Dry brine the steak overnight. 
  2. Heat the frypan to moderate heat and add a little beef fat. 
  3. Cook the steak, turning it every 30 seconds. 
  4. Cook until the meat is done to the desired internal temperature. 
  5. Allow the steak to rest for at least five minutes. 
  6. Serve with an avocado cheek.  
  7. If you’re following a meat-only diet, just the meat will be more than sufficient to satisfy your hunger. You can pick up the steak and just bite into it. This minimises washing. 
  8. If you’re low-carbohydrate eating, meat and some plant-based foods like avocado, leafy green leaves, olives, and tomatoes are a good combination. 
  9. If you’re not concerned with carbohydrates, fill your boots. 
  10. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this steak won’t be suitable. 
  11. Always give thanks to the Lord. 
  12. Eat with whatever implements you prefer. 

Photographs

Scotch fillet steak

Thoughts on the meal 

It was nice having a pan-fried steak. Over the last five weeks, I’ve been enjoying thinly sliced scotch fillet steaks cooked in the air fryer. These steaks will continue to be my staple as I recover; tonight’s steak is a treat.

Final thoughts 

  • Since adapting to a low carbohydrate diet, my mental acuity has improved. I’m looking forward to learning more from Georgia Ede’s book.
  • As I rewatch episodes from DS9 and VOY, characters who I once didn’t like are growing on me. For example, Kira Nerys and Julian Bashir were characters who I found annoying on DS9. Neelix is still annoying on VOY, but not as much as in previous viewings.
  • Have you had to wear a CAM boot? How did you feel about the experience?
  • Flexing and extending ankles and toes. Do you know the difference?
  • Star Trek aficionados will know the series, episode, and character who introduced Velcro to humankind.

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 

Ede, G. (2024). Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind: A Food-First Plan to Optimize Your Mental Health. Hodder & Stoughton.

Bone in ribeye steak

Posted by Gary

If you want to skip the introduction, you can jump to the recipe.

Weight chart correct on Saturday 20230708. The thick horizontal line represents the goal weight.

Introduction

Dear Reader, 

I hope you have enjoyed your week. Mine has been terrific, fabulous even. 

Do you know the feeling when you’ve lost something and think you’ll never see it again, and then you find it? That feeling! That’s the feeling I have this week. 

Apart from this feeling of euphoria, this week, I’ve been exploring the role of diet and insulin resistance in developing Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM). I’ve been revising the endocrine system’s management of adipocytes and how low insulin levels cause fatty acid retention in adipocytes. Increasing the insulin by stimulating the pancreatic islet cells with sugar worsens the situation. Therefore, to burn the fatty acids, the insulin concentration has to be below a threshold that varies between individuals. The bottom line is minimising carbohydrates avoids raising the concentration of insulin. I didn’t find endocrinology all that interesting in medical school. My attention depends on the skills of the teacher. Self-interest-directed learning makes a difference in my level of interest.

Part of last week’s YouTube exploration involved listening and reading about Timothy Noakes from the Republic of South Africa (RSA). 

Noakes advocates for low carbohydrate, healthy fat (LCHF) (also known as real food) eating to prevent T2DM and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The ultimate aim is to stave off metabolic syndrome.

I’ve decided to transition from CSIRO TWD to LCHF eating to stave off insulin resistance and avoid T2DM as well as metabolic syndrome. The main difference between the two is the handling of fat. TWD is low fat while LCHF encourages good fat. Good fat doesn’t stimulate the release of insulin in the same quantity as protein and carbohydrates.

Tim Noakes led me to Gary Taubes and Nina Teicholz. Both are journalists with science backgrounds. Gary is best known for his books on low carbohydrate, healthy fat eating and the history behind many approaches. The book I read this week is The Case for Keto. I’ll read Good Calories, Bad Calories next. Nina is best known for her book The Big Fat Surprise.

Between the books on low carbohydrate, and healthy fat eating, I relaxed and listened to some chapters of Love Stories, which Kathleen sent me as a gift. The book is a series of vignettes told by the author, who asks strangers to share with him a love story. Set in contemporary Brisbane, and as I listen to him narrate his book (Kathleen knows I prefer listening over reading), it draws me to the streets of the central business district and the suburbs he mentions, which I’m familiar with.

The vignettes are moving with humour and solemnity, reflecting Trent Dalton’s casual writing style.

Thanks, Kathleen.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Precision cooker
  • Water bath
  • Frypan
  • Stick blender

Ingredients

  • Bone-in ribeye steak
  • Salt
  • Butter
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Curry powder
  • Lettuce leaves
  • Avocado
  • Olive oil
  • Olives

Instructions

  1. Season the steak and place it into a vacuum bag.
  2. Seal the bag and cook at 55 °C for 2 hours.
  3. Remove the steak and dry the surface with a paper towel.
  4. Sear the steak in a frypan with some butter.
  5. Put three egg yolks into a tall cup and blend.
  6. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and two teaspoons of curry powder and blend.
  7. Melt 120 g of butter and pour slowly into the cup while blending.
  8. Keep the cup of sauce warm.
  9. Dice an avocado and toss with some lettuce leaves and olives. Dress the salad with apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
  10. Arrange everything on a plate.
  11. Give thanks to the Lord.
  12. Eat with a steak knife and a fork.
  13. Gnaw the meat and fat from the bone, then lick your fingers and lips.

Thoughts on the meal

What’s not to like? A nice steak and a thick gooey sauce along with a fresh salad. The meat was tender and beefy with fantastic mouthfeel. The sauce was thick, creamy, and salty and coated the inside of my mouth, tongue, and lips. The salad, especially the apple cider vinegar helped cut the richness of the sauce and the beef. A perfect meal to share with a perfect person.

Final thoughts

I decided this week to finish the CSIRO TWD. I’ve achieved my goal weight, and I feel confident I can maintain it without paying a monthly fee for the software application. I always have the option of starting again if I need to. I’m grateful to Kathleen for getting me onto it and helping me achieve a healthy body weight.

  • How do you feel when you find something you thought you lost?
  • Do you ever revisit material you may have covered at school and find it’s easier to understand in later life?
  • How was your week?

Photographs

Bone in ribeye steak and scotch fillet steak. The scotch fillet steak is for next week.
Seasoned bone in ribeye steak and scotch fillet steak. The scotch fillet steak is for next week.
Green and black olives
Egg yolks
Bone in ribeye steak pre-searing
Bone in ribeye steak seared
Bone in ribeye steak seared
Bone in ribeye steak with curry flavoured hollandaise sauce and a olive, avocado, and lettuce salad dressed with apple cider vinegar and olive oil

Sous vide ribeye steak with pumpkin and kale salad.

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

I hope you’re doing well tonight. 

This week, there have been warnings that meat, fresh fruit, and vegetables will be in short supply because of supply chain problems. 

I stocked up on some beef to hopefully get me through the next couple of weeks. I saw a piece of steak that caught my eye and decided I’d have it with a pumpkin salad.

As an example of the shortages, I’d generally make a pumpkin salad with rocket (arugula for friends east of the North Pacific Ocean. I couldn’t get any, nor spinach, for my breakfast 😱 so I went with kale!

I hope wherever you live; the situation isn’t drastic. The spread of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant has rapidly swept through some areas. There are personnel shortages in critical areas with public health measures requiring isolation and quarantine for the infected and contacts.

I now know people, friends in fact, who have COVID-19. To keep my mind off this, I’ve been grateful for the fellowship of those close to me. I’ll always be thankful to those who I love for keeping me in good spirits.

Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.

Ingredients

  • Ribeye steak
  • Mushrooms
  • Green peppercorns
  • Iodised salt
  • Black peppercorns
  • Kent pumpkin
  • Marmalade (homemade by my friend Claire)
  • Rice bran oil
  • Kale
  • Walnuts
  • Red onion
  • Butter
  • Plain flour
  • Beef stock
  • Sherry

Instructions

  1. Carefully handle your meat. I’ve never liked seeing people on cooking shows slapping their meat around. Meat is delicate and precious. Handle it with care.
  2. Unwrap the steak and dry the surface with kitchen paper (noting it too seems to be the new toilet paper concerning scarcity in shops).
  3. Season your meat with some iodised salt and freshly ground black peppercorns.
  4. Place the steak on a rack and refrigerate overnight. This process is called dry brining.
  5. Before cooking, slice some mushrooms and place the steak, mushrooms, and green peppercorns into a vacuum bag.
  6. Seal the bag and put it into a water bath set at 54 °C for 2 hours and 10 minutes.
  7. At the end of the cooking time, remove the bag and open it. Remove the steak, mushrooms, and peppercorns. Dry the surface of the steak and in a bowl, add the mushrooms, peppercorns, and meat juices. Those juices are precious. Savour them like any juices formed with loving-kindness. 
  8. Heat a cast-iron skillet and sear steak until it forms a crust knowing this will taste amazing and add texture to the mouthfeel.
  9. Allow your meat to rest after so much fun and excitement. It will taste better for it.
  10. Make a roux with the flour and butter by gently melting the butter in a saucier pan and adding the flour. Whisk the flour and butter for three minutes to remove the taste of the flour.
  11. Slowly add the beef stock and some sherry to form a sauce.
  12. Add your meat’s juices, cooked mushrooms, and green peppercorns and finish the sauce with a bit of butter.
  13. Cut some kent pumpkin into bite-sized pieces, and with your hands, massage in some oil and then some marmalade.
  14. Gently cook in an oven set to low to moderate heat.
  15. Properly cooked pumpkin is when you can penetrate it with a smooth probe. You can move it in and out, and when you withdraw, the shaft is clean. 
  16. Remove the pumpkin and allow it cool.
  17. It’s worth cleaning the kale. I think we should all clean our veggies. While fomite transmission is not efficient for COVID-19, you never know when a wad of snot full of SARS-COV-2 might have landed on your otherwise healthy kale.
  18. Crush your nuts with something heavy. I use a stainless steel coffee tamper.
  19. I make the salad with pumpkin, kale, walnuts, sliced red onion, salt, and oil.
  20. With your fingers, pick up the steak and find the muscle plane between the deskle meat and the lean fillet. The steak will be tender enough so you can use the tip of your index finger and gently prise apart the muscle bundles and separate them. The meat is warm and moist and slippery and the bundles separate easily with a little gentle pressure.
  21. Keep the deckle meat for dinner and put the lean fillet into a container and refrigerate it.
  22. Take a sharp knife and slice the deckle meat with long slow strokes when your meat has rested. I like to draw my knife towards me, so my blade glides through my meat.
  23. Put the salad in a shallow bowl, stack some steak slices on the side, and then spoon some of the sauce on the sliced meat.
  24. This meat was moist, tender, and pungent in the aroma. I just wanted to dive in and get my lips and tongue into it and savour it slowly.

Final thoughts

  1. How has your week been?
  2. Are there supply problems for you at the moment?
  3. Are you worried about being infected with SARS-COV-2 Omicron Variant.
  • Ribeye Fillet Steak Raw meat
  • Ribeye Fillet Steak seasoned
  • Green peppercorns, Mushrooms, Ribeye fillet steak Vacuum packed for the water bath
  • I like how the marmalade has formed glistening globs on the pumpkin. The marmalade and salt give the pumpkin a lovely salty-sweet contrasting flavour. It will be delicious.
  • Coffee tamper to crush walnuts
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak. Seared in a cast-iron skillet.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.
  • Sous vide ribeye fillet steak with roast pumpkin salad and mushroom and green pepeprcorn sauce.

How about some non-food photos!

I went for a walk this afternoon.

  • The Belconnen Owl Statue taken from behind is some of Canberra’s finest public art. There are some who call this pubic art 😉
  • Lake Ginninderra blue skies and cloud porn