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Friday, March 26, 2010

What I Was Up To Wednesday And Thursday For Food




Wednesday, my son came over to assist me in cutting up a New York strip loin into steaks. I sliced, and did the major trim on the steaks, while he took usable scraps and trimmed them into small pieces of fat free bits of meat. We packaged 14 steaks from a 10+ pound loin, and I gave him four for his help!
The meat scraps went into a brown mushroom sauce, made from fresh sliced mushrooms sauteed in butter and chopped onions until reduced, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, brown gravy mix, sour cream, chopped garlic, and black pepper- simmered until reduced to proper thickness.. Poured over brown rice(which matches perfectly with the earthy mushroom flavor!) and topped with dried dill weed, it made a nice little supper!
Thursday, a craving for cheese drove me to make Alfredo, using Penne for the pasta. Penne is a perfect pasta for taking a sauce, as the small ribs and hollow shape allow optimum coverage! The sauce was admittedly out of a jar- sort of.. I grated real Italian Parmesan and Romano, and stirred into sauce, along with dried Basil, Oregano and a bit of champagne vinegar. I baked it until firm, and it had a wonderful flavor. Champagne vinegar is a "must have" in your pantry..mild, with white grape flavor- it is super with chicken ,fish, or white cheese based sauces.
Have good week-ends, my friends!

40 comments:

Kate said...

Never heard of champagne vinegar before. Must. Go. Find. It.

buffalodick said...

Kate- Not expensive, and you never need much..plus vinegar has the half life of radium!

Christo Gonzales said...

that is some mighty fine looking steakage! I need to clear out my freezer a bit so I can make room for this kind of bounty!

Brian Miller said...

so if i come over and help can i have some steak...smiles.

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

and a good weekend to you... love the meat and shrooms you described, sounds really full of flavors

buffalodick said...

DogB- swimming in meat- went to Birds again!
Brian- It takes more time than you think!
Griller- mushroom gravy was very mushroomy!

Heff said...

Nice meat, 'dick.

Barbara said...

My,my. Don't those steaks look fabulous?? Wish I'd never seen them. Now I might have to make another trip to the store. There is nothing I like better than a grilled steak...nothing tricky, just plain old steak, rare.
Are you grilling outside yet? My sister said it looks like you'll have a nice week next week.
Have a good weekend, BD!

buffalodick said...

Heff- Love to have a big cook out with these!
Barb- Cooking on charcoal- soon!

Velva said...

I think you do need to have a big cook-out and invite all of your foodies friends to come over to oooh and ahhh your steaks :-) Looks great.

buffalodick said...

Steaks aren't easy! I like them rare, and the person next to be wants well done!

tattytiara said...

Steak. I deserve steak. Can't remember the last time I had it.

Vickie said...

I like the idea of cutting my own steaks . . . maybe someday. I'm on a big veggie kick this week - starting to grow bunny whiskers.

Green-Eyed Momster said...

I wish you had a restaurant here in my town! I love mushrooms and mushroom sauce.....

I hope you have a happy weekend!

Gloria Baker said...

I think the steaks look fabulous and tempting dear Buffalo and I love mushrooms, have a lovely weekend dear Buffalo, huggs, gloria

Chris said...

I love trimming my own steaks from the primal cuts. You made great use of the scraps, BD! I use mine for the base of sauces when I'm grilling and the recipe was calling for pan seared steaks.

Chef E said...

Okay now you are sending me to the restaurant food supply for some beef, not sure if you read about my bad experience with that NY Strip, but yours would so make up for that memory!

Mona said...

The loin steak is really well cleaned!

I must try making some cheese pasta with oregano. Although I'll avoid dill ; its not my favorite!

Full-On-Forward said...

BEAUTIFUL looking Meat--Store or Butcher?

Good presentation too..I can smell everything--the Vinegar sounds VERY versatile--OK on the grill too?

J

OHN said...

I LOVE STEAK, but can't cook them to save my life. They are always rock hard. (I need them cooked through, pale pink is somewhat acceptable, but I prefer cooked all the way). Any hints?

buffalodick said...

T.T.- We are looking forward to warmer weather charcoal grilling!
Vick- It's fun to cut your own, as you can control thickness..thin for pan fried, thick for grilling!
Momster- People seem to love or hate the flavor and texture of mushrooms!
Gloria- Thank you! I hope things are looking up in your country....
Chris- NY isn't my favorite cut, but in the $3.50lb range- it was a bargain..
ChefE- The price difference between Select and Prime can be huge..
Mona- I use dried dill to pick up flavors in heavy sauces, and lighten them..
John- Cryopak whole loin, with me doing the cutting, trimming, and packaging..
OHN- Marinate! Olive oil, red wine vinegar, black pepper, salt, and garlic mixed in a zip lock bag, is a good starter marinade with steaks in the marinade for at least 3 hrs- 8 is better!

Marjie said...

Try my alfredo - it won't disappoint! I'll have to keep an eye out for champagne vinegar!

Unknown said...

I have never used Champagne vinegar. Thanks for the info!

Just telling it like it is said...

I always have the champagne..as apart the disease

Robin said...

Hi There..we just got a new grill and I was showing the Hubs all your recipes...Mmmmm...we now have a freezer stacked with meat, meat and more meat....(no cheese though)...and we need some new ideas...I love the vinegar idea....so Thanks...

Akelamalu said...

I've missed your recipes whilst I've been absent this week :)

Mike Minzes said...

OMG, that looks sooo goood!

Anonymous said...

I have champagne vinegar in my pantry and really don't use it much. I'll have to pay more attention to it. I hope the airdale got a couple of those beef scraps.

buffalodick said...

Marjie-I make it from scratch when I have the time...
Angela- Really tastes of the Champagne grape!
Darngirl- That works too!
Robin- Have fun with the new grill!
Ake- Hope all is improving with folks..
RLM- People like piles of meat!
Highlander- Anything that hits the floor is hers!

Just telling it like it is said...

And that rack looks scrumptious

Liz Mays said...

Your son got a great deal out of helping and dinner sounds delicious!

Carma Sez said...

sign me up for the penne alfredo. divine!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like great father and son time... especially when he got four steaks out of it ;0)

G-Man said...

I'm not a NY Strip fan, but if YOU did the cooking I might change my mind!

Anonymous said...

Both recipes sound really delicious! Totally agree with your opinion on penne. One of my favourite to cook with too. Holds the sauce perfectly!

The Blonde Duck said...

It sounds great. I hope you had a tasty weekend!

buffalodick said...

Darngirl- Once trimmed, it was a good one!
BlueV- He helps me more and more in the kitchen..
carma- Thanks! It was tasty!
E.D.- He's turned into my BBQ pardner!
G-man- I prefer rib-eye, but at twice the cost..
Ruth- The differences in pasta shapes can be subtle...
BlondeD- Did a whole roast chicken Sunday..will post..

The Good Cook said...

Yum.. I love champagne vinegar. Excellent in a simple vinaigrette I might add.

MarmiteToasty said...

Aint never heard of champagne vinegar before but I do have a champagne marmite :) seriously they make one...... I LOVE steak with a passion but rarely have it here as its way to expensive when there is 5 of us... actually I love all sortsa beef :)

Dam you are such a great cook....

x

sewa mobil said...

It sounds great. I hope you had a tasty weekend!