Bourbon Beef Steak with Blistered Broccoli and Napa Cabbage

You know those shirts that say:“I cook with wine, sometimes I put in my food”?. Think of that and replace wine with bourbon for this recipe. You would be surprised how versatile good old Jack can be not only for the meat, but also for the side dish. So let’s start breaking this recipe down.

The meat- grab yourself a nice piece of beef steak. Now, I wanted to mix things for the meat so I did a super easy and delicious trick that can give a real lift to any steak. Cook your meat to your desired result (remember that test to check your meat by comparing to different variations of your clenched fist? Use it!). 

With one minute or so to spare throw in the pan 20 grams of bourbon and flambé the meat. Also, it will impress anyone else in the room making you look like you performed a Holywood-like stunt. What can I say? The ladies enjoy a live flambee…. Back to business, let the meat rest for 3-4 minutes, lightly brush one side with some spicy mustard (try and get the type that has horseradish in it) then grab the meat and put the mustard side in some ground pepper. This will give your meat a strong, pregnant peppery taste and you can always use this trick to cover one or more sides of a steak that didn’t really came out your way.

So where should we use more bourbon you ask? Why, the sauce, of course. 

Grab yourself 75 grams of butter, 

some shimenji mushrooms (or whatever type make you happy on the inside), 

50 grams of whisky, 

50 grams of stock and 

the same amount of cream. 

Start of by melting the butter in the same pan that you cooked the meat in. Add in the mushrooms and cook them for 3 minute on high heat, then pour in the whisky. Take advantage of this occasion to perform some more pyrotechnics, cook for another minute, then reduce the heat and add the stock and cream. In about 3 minutes add the salt and pepper and remove from heat. 

For the side dish, I served the meat with some blistered broccoli and stir fried Napa Cabbage. Regarding the last ingredient, it was a nice surprise for me as its taste proved to work very nice with the meat. Simply cut it any way you want and throw it in a pan with a couple tbs. of olive oil on high heat. Cook for 2 minutes and add just a touch of bourbon to, you guessed it, flambé the cabbage, cook for another 2 minutes. Touch of salt and pepper and you’re done.

The other vegetable didn’t get the bourbon treatment, but I can’t complain: Mrs. G liked it a lot, so much that I can’t cook broccoli in any other way. What can I say? Broccoli can do that to a woman. I found this recipe on Instagram, on the @bonappetitmag account. Cut the veggie into florets making sure you keep a long enough stalk for each floret.

Then cut each one in half so you have a flat surface for each broccoli. Heat up some olive oil on high heat, put the veggie with the flat side down in there and cook until you get a dark brown color. Flip the broccoli and place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes. Plate the broccoli and add a splash of lemon juice, some chili flakes and garlic slices. Absolutely delicious. It’s a wonderful way to give broccoli a nice twist, similar to a Ottolenghi recipe for a broccoli salad that applied similar that technique, but in which you first blanched the veggie before grilling it on a super hot grill.

So, that was our bourbon beef dinner, but feel free to use whisky instead of bourbon. As a suggestion here, go for Islay whisky, some Laphroaig would really hit the spot with its peaty, rich taste.

Enjoy,

Fried Shrimp and Spicy Broccoli

This recipe is one of the first ones that made us into thinking we should make a blog and one of the recipes we like cooking the most. It’s a very easy to make, delicious and packs a lot of flavor. And, hey, you’re eating broccoli, that’s gotta be healthy for you.

For the shrimps, we used frozen (500 grams), but you can use fresh. The idea of cooking the seafood is that you will both boil and fry it for short periods of time, so it doesn’t over cook.

Chicken Noodles Stir Fry - Simple Chinese Recipe

Today we will share with you what has become a tradition in our home. Honestly, if you make sure you always have the ingredients on hand, it is easier and quicker than take out being delivered to you.

Not to mention is has the take-out smell and flavor, but you can control what you put in it.

Rice or bean thread noodles  (the thin type)
300 g chicken breast
1 carrot
1 bell pepper
1 medium onion
5 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs brown sugar

1 tsp 5 spices condiment

Cut the vegetables in long slices or however you prefer them. You can cut the chicken in either fine, thin, long strips, or in small cubes, either way make sure you cut it pretty small so it will cook fast.

In a wok, heat up some oil (sesame, peanut, or just vegetable, don't bother with olive oil), about 2 tbs, then stir fry the vegetables for around 3 minutes. After that, add the meat with the sugar and 5 spice, and brown the chicken for about another 3-4 minutes. Make sure you don't overcook the veggies, they have to be nice and crunchy (if i were Italian i would say al dente, so whatever). Add the fish and soy sauce, mix it up all together.

Now for the noodles: you need about 60-90 seconds to cook them (depending on the type and thickness of the pasta, we used and loved rice or bean thread), and about the same amount of time with the vegetables and meat combo. When you put the noodles in the wok, add another tbs of soy sauce (or don't, it's all about taste). Mix it all together, grab your chopsticks, and enjoy.  

Optional: if you wanna make things hot in this motha-dish, add a nice hot smoky red chilli with the vegetables. 

Homemade Hummus and Stir-fried Lamb

I don't mind making hummus at home, i find it easy to mak  if you have a blender.

This time, i topped the hummus with some lamb stips well-seasoned and stir fried. Then, i just added some olive oil and a lot of sumac because i love it and it works best with hummus.

Hummus si miel la tigaie

Nu ne deranjeaza sa facem hummus acasa, este foarte usor daca ai un blender. De data asta, am ales sa adaugam hummus-ului fasii de miel condimentat, tras la tigaie. Apoi, am adaugat niste ulei de masline si mult sumac pentru ca ne place foarte mult si e perfect pentru hummus.

Enjoy!

Reinventing Leftovers

Leftover meatballs + Stir-fry noodles + Amaaaazing oven-roasted carrots!

Enjoy your every meal!
xo

What we had for dinner. Shrimps and broccoli. Stir-fry

Simple, delicious, a personal favourite.

Tip: After you boil the broccoli, turn off the heat and scoop it out. Then, put the florets into a bowl of iced water. Let them get cold, then drain. This way, if you blanch it, it will remain green and it will stop the cooking.

Stay light!