Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak with Blue Cheese Butter and Macadamia
Wednesday, May 27, 2020Tomahawk Steak is a cut of ribeye beef that includes the rib bone, which, when cooked, adds a variety of flavour and succulence to the meat. It is named after the tomahawk axe that it resembles.
Traditionally you sear a steak over a very high heat, and then finish the cooking in the oven until the desired doneness. Reverse searing, which is the perfect method for cooking a medium-rare or medium steak, is the reverse of this process.
The reverse sear I am using here is a 2-step process:
1.) Slow-roasting the steak in the oven at 120C/250F for 30-40 minutes.
2.) Searing it in a blazing hot skillet (cast iron or heavy stainless steel) to finishing it off.
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- To make the blue cheese butter, add the butter to a bowl, stir in the blue cheese, garlic, thyme leaves and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep this butter at room temperature for serving.
- Lightly coat the steak with herb infused avocado oil (or olive oil) and generously rub the both sides with salt and freshly milled pepper.
- Preheat oven to 120C/250F. Place the steak on a wirerack set on a baking tray. Roast the steak for 30-40 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 50C/120F. Remove the steak from the oven. Tent it with foil and let the steak rest 10 minutes while you preheat your skillet.
- Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil on high until blazing hot. Carefully place the steak into the hot skillet and sear for 2 minutes on one side, then flip and sear for another 1 minute or until the internal temperature reaches your desired level of doneness. For medium-rare, you want an internal temperature of 57C/135F.
- Generously spoon the blue cheese butter over the steak, garnish with macadamia nuts, fresh herbs and serve alongside your choice of sides. Unlike with other methods, there is no need to let your steak rest before serving as you already did that before you seared them.
Smoked Wild Salmon Beetroot Wraps
Friday, May 22, 2020Ready less than 10 minutes, these beetroot wraps with smoked wild salmon, avocado dip and salad are light, satisfying and full of flavour. They are easy to make and perfect for a healthy lunch at home or on the go.
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- Place a piece of beetroot wrap onto a flat surface. Spread with some avocado dip or pesto sauce. Top with arugula or pointed cabbage. Arrange some smoked wild salmon atop.
- Roll up wrap firmly to enclose filling. Cut in half. Secure halves with baking paper and string. Repeat with another one. Serve with extra avocado dip if desired.
Blueberry Kefir Bundt Cake
Saturday, May 16, 2020A delicious, moist and tender bundt cake filled with juicy blueberries and iced with a blueberry-lemon glaze. You can simply dust it with powdered sugar too. This bundt Cake is a perfect dessert to celebrate the blueberry season.
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- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Generously butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Add lemon juice to kefir and set aside.
- Mix sugar and lemon zest until well combined in a mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- With the mixer on a low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
- Alternate 3 additions of flour and 2 additions kefir, beginning and ending with flour, scraping the bowl between additions. Do not over-mix or the cake would be dense and dry.
- Toss the blueberries with about 2 tablespoons of spelt flour to coat, and gently fold them into the cake batter. Spread batter in the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, rotating the cake after 30 minutes to make sure it browns evenly. The cake is done as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.
- Set cake pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, and invert cake onto rack to cool completely while you prepare the glaze.
- Mash the blueberries in the lemon juice with a fork. Press through a sieve to remove the skins. Sift in the confectioners' sugar to the juice and whisk until smooth. Add more sugar if you like a thicker glaze.
- Pour glaze over cake. Let the glaze set before serving. Cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for 3–4 days.
Dairy Free Gluten Free Peanut Butter Tahini Fudge
Saturday, May 09, 2020Desserts made with peanut butter, tahini (aka sesame seed butter) are right up my alley, esp. when they are healthful and good for you like this fudge recipe which is refined sugar free, dairy free and naturally gluten free. It's smooth, amazingly delicious and simple to make. Coconut syrup was used to sweeten the fudge, but maple syrup would do the trick too. You can substitute cashew or almond butter for peanut butter.
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- Prepare a mini-muffin pan with a 24 cup capacity. Line with praline paper liners. Set aside. You can also use 12 standard-size silicone muffin cups or a mix of two.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, add the peanut butter, natural tahini, coconut oil and coconut syrup.
- Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla paste.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin liners and chill for a few hours or until firm. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt flakes and enjoy! The fudge can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Sweet Woodruff Blueberry Cheesecake
Saturday, May 02, 2020The Sweet Woodruff, a little aromatic plant growing in woods and near shady spots. In Germany, one of the specially delightful drinks ---- White Wine Punch/Maibowle (or Waldmeisterbowle, or Maiwein, or Maitrank) is prepared by steeping the fresh sweet woodruff and peppermints in white wine. They are drunk and enjoyed usually in May.
This no-bake cheesecake recipe is so creamy and delicious! A thick, silky smooth fresh German cheese and cream cheese filling in a buttery oat cookie crust, topped with fresh blueberries and a layer of sweet woodruff jelly. It’s an easy dessert recipe that will definitely please.
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- Combine cookies and softened margarine, then press into the bottom of a 26-cm baking pan with a removable bottom. Chill crust for 30 minutes. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form and store in the fridge until ready for use.
- Combine Quark, cream cheese, sugars and milk in a mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Soak gelatin sheets in cold water for 5 minutes until softened. Gently squeeze out excess water. Melt it in a heat proof bowl placed over simmering water until dissolved. Combine first 4 tablespoons of cheese mixture with the melted gelatin, then blend with the rest of cheese mixture until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and until fully incorporated. Pour the cheese mixture over the crust and arrange the blueberries on top. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
- Whisk together sugar and jelly powder in a medium pot. Pour in the water and cook over the slow heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove and turn the heat off. Pour 1/3 of the jelly into a square shallow dish. Press and push a cookie mould into the set jelly to create the “heart”. Pour the rest of cool jelly over the cheesecake. Place some heart-shaped jelly over if desired. To serve, loosen cheesecake and place it on a serving plate. Decorate the side with heart-shaped jelly.
Taiwanese Pineapple Pastry
Sunday, April 26, 2020This is a very popular traditional Taiwanese dessert (凤梨酥, pronounced Feng Li Su) with a really yummy flaky pastry encased with a thick, not-too-sweet pineapple filling. Pineapple in Taiwanese or Hokkien means 'prosperous and thriving', they are therefore often given as a part of an engagement gifts, or simply as well-wishing presents around lunar Chinese New Year.
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- Drain pineapple well.Crush with a blender and place them in a skillet. Using medium heat, cook the drained crushed pineapple and sugar until most liquid has evaporated, and the filling turned golden. Stirring constantly using a wooden spoon to avoid burning. Set aside to cool.
- Beat shortening, butter and powdered sugar in a mixer until it turns light in color and fluffy. Gradually beat in whole egg and yolk until well combined. Sift in the flour and fold until just combined. Dissolve baking soda in the water and blend with the the mixture.
- Line baking trays with parchment paper. Divide the pastry dough and pineapple filling each into 28 equal rounds. Line work surface with large sheet of plastic wrap. Place and flatten the pastry dough on the plastic wrap with the palms and put the pineapple filling in the middle. and use the dough to cover the filling. Arrange it into moulds of your choice. Lightly draw the plastic wrap out of the mould, and turn the pastry onto the prepared tray. You can also grease the moulds and press the dough directly into the moulds. Bake in the preheated 170C/340F oven for about 22-25 minutes until light brown.