Van's Kitchen: Pan-Fried Steak

Arguably steak is one of my favourite food, and I keep on telling those non-steak eaters that they are missing half of their lives if they don't eat steak. I love them all, from the humblest breakfast steak to the most extravagant of Wagyu's / Kobe's.

I usually just grill steaks with very little seasoning: olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Sometimes I rub in a little Dijon mustard and a sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce. When I do pan-fry them I add in a dollop of butter when cooking, plus a dollop more on top when serving.

It was a pleasant and lovely chance that I got to watch Gordon Ramsey do his version of pan-frying steak. What better way to share it to you than to show the actual video.


These were the tools and ingredients I used to do my own:

Kitchen tools:

• cast iron skillet
• tongs

Ingredients:

• Steaks (I used tenderloin, which was what I had that time)
• Salt and Pepper - rub them on to the steaks seconds before frying!
• Olive Oil
• Dried Thyme (used a teaspoon) - I highly recommend using the fresh one!
• Garlic (since I love garlic, I used a lot, 5 cloves hehehe)
• Unsalted Butter ( I used a lot too since I love butter)

Enjoy!

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Van's Kitchen: Paella

Cooking Paella is a big deal in our household, so when we decide to have it as our main meal, everybody is serious and gets down to business.

Today was a trying day though, because the seafood ingredients were hard to find, even if usually these were available! I had to go to two markets and two grocery stores just to get hold of fresh seafood! There was that option of buying in advance and freeze them, but I have always been iffy about it, thus buying fresh ingredients on the day is very important to me.

At the end of it all though, cooking paella is so worth it. Just take a look the the finished product...

The photo did not do justice to it though, since I only used my phone to take a photo. We couldn't wait to dig into it, so there was no time to do those photo-ops. Hahaha.

Here's how I cooked our Paella. It is based on the Paella on the Grill by Bobby Flay. Thank goodness I got to watch it on Food Network, and I have been cooking paella this way ever since.

PAELLA

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken cutlets
1 kilo clams, scrubbed
1 kilo mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 kilo crabs (the alimasag type), cleaned, cooked, and halved
1/2 kilo jumbo shrimps, shelled but leaving the tails
1/2 kilo squid (medium size)
2 lemons, halved
1/4 kilo scallops
1/4 cup canola oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups chicken stock
1 large pinch of saffron (this is a non-negotiable for me)
1/4 cup olive oil (1 tbsp for the lemons)
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 head of garlic - cut crosswise, then finely chopping the top half and retaining the lower half.
1/2 kilo chorizo de Bilbao, sliced thinly
2 red bell peppers, sliced thinly.
4 cups rice (I used 3 cups Sinandomeng and 1 cup malagkit or glutinous rice)
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 /2 cup frozen peas, thawed


How to cook:

• Brush the chicken cutlets with some of the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken over low heat, making sure that the chicken does not get burned. Once cooked, set them aside.
• Meanwhile pour the chicken stock in a saucepan and add the saffron. Let it simmer until the stick is quite boiling. Add the clams and cook until they are open. Remove them to a bowl, discarding those that are not open. Add the mussels and cook until they are open. Remove to a bowl and discard those that are not open. Note: do not overcook! Set aside the stock.
• Brush all the seafood with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them until they are almost cooked through. Be careful not to over cook them! Set aside the grilled seafood.
• Brush the lemons with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill them cut side down for about 45 seconds, then set aside. 
• Heat the olive oil in a large paellera. Sauté the onions and garlic (even the bottom half of the garlic), then add the chorizos and bell peppers. 
• Add the rice and cook - stir it constantly for a few minutes. Add the chicken + saffron stock one cup at a time, stirring the rice a few times. Keep on doing so until the rice is almost cooked. At this point I don't stir the paella rice anymore. NOTE: I know some may disagree in stirring the rice, saying that this is a no-no, but I don't care. I've seen one show featuring Spanish food and in Valencia, the veteran cook was stirring the rice.
• When the rice is cooked, I arranged all the grilled chicken and seafood on top of the rice, burying them slightly here and there. Scatter the peas on top. I let the paella cook (low heat) for about 2-3 minutes. 
• Squeeze the juice of two lemon halves over the paella, and nestle the rest in the rice.
• Scatter the parsley on top of the paella. Serve hot.

Usually I serve Sangria, but in this case, I just opened a bottle of Pinot Grigio to go with the paella. By the way, for those who are looking for a good Pinot Grigio, I know that lately this type of wine is hard to find. However, I found a couple of bottles in M&S stores. :)

Enjoy cooking and eating. 

Always remember, cook for pleasure, eat with pleasure. :)

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Van's Kitchen: Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle

Just like blogging, I rediscovered another activity that I love doing: watching food and cooking shows!

I was able to wrestle my way into watching TV, and was so happy to have chanced upon this wonderful recipe from the show "The Kitchen." This simple pasta dish blends two of my favourite ingredients: shrimps and artichokes.

I have made something similar before, but I used chicken instead of shrimps. Now, I am very eager to  cook this, and I am quite sure I will love it. This would be perfect on a lazy Sunday lunch, paired with a glass of Pinot Grigio. :)

Here is the recipe from The Food Network:

Shrimp and Artichoke Tagliatelle

Ingredients:

Shrimp and Artichokes: 
10 jumbo shrimp (U12), peeled and cleaned, cut in half lengthwise
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 artichokes, cleaned and chokes removed, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock

Pasta: 
Salt
1 pound fresh tagliatelle
2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

For the shrimp and artichokes:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 
• On a baking sheet, toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon juice and butter and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. 
• Roast until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. 
• In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. 
• Add the artichokes and cook until seared and just browned, about 2 minutes. 
• Add the garlic and cook until aromatic. 
• Add the wine and cook until reduced slightly, 1 minute. 
• Add the chicken stock and bring to a slow simmer. Cook until the artichokes are tender and the liquid is reduced by half. 
• Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

For the pasta:

• Meanwhile, bring a medium stockpot of salted water to a rolling boil. 
• Boil the pasta until cooked, about 2 minutes (or according to package instructions). 
• Remove the pasta from the water and toss directly into the artichoke pan along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. 
• Cook and reduce the liquid, tossing the pasta, until the pasta is coated with the sauce. Remove from the heat and add the cheese and black pepper. 
• Add the roasted shrimp and its juices, lemon zest, butter, lemon juice, parsley and salt to taste.
• Toss the pasta until the butter has emulsified. 
• Plate and serve. 

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Goop Spring!

Not sure what others feel about I definitely love reading GOOP - Gwyneth Paltrow's virtual corner! Haven't checked out her blog for the longest time, but I guess her newsletters are enough already. Latest that I've read and enjoyed were her Spring style and her dinner with Jose Andres.

Yup, two thing I like most: Fashion + Food. Hahahaha.

First up is the Spring Style. Check out it out here:

These were my faves:

Whew. Totally love all these looks. If I were to get all of these, I'd have to get lots of retail boxes to stack up all my loot, hahahaha!


Then there's the dinner newsletter here:

Check out the paella...

CHICKEN & PAELLA RECIPE:

¼ cup Spanish olive oil
3 cups diced seasonal vegetables such as green beans, zucchini, baby squash, cauliflower
1 cup seasonal mushrooms
2 pounds organic chicken legs and thighs, cut up
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 cup grated fresh tomato
a pinch of saffron
4 cups mineral water
½ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
2 cups Spanish bomba or calasparra rice

Heat the olive oil in a 15-inch paella pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the vegetables until they get a nice brown color. Remove vegetables from the pan and reserve. Add the chicken in small batches to the pan and sear until skin is golden and crisp. Remove the chicken and reserve. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the grated tomato and cook for 1 minute making sure to scrape up all the browned bits from the chicken. Pour in the wine and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

Return the vegetables and chicken to the pan and pour in the mineral water. Allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes to flavor the water. Then stir in the rice. Season to taste with salt and boil for 10 minutes. Do not stir the rice again, as this can cause the rice to cook unevenly.

Crumble the saffron across the top of the paella and sprinkle the pimenton evenly. Do not stir the rice. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the paella from the heat, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let the paella rest for 5 minutes before serving.


GRILLED BUTTER OYSTERS RECIPE:

12 oysters
6 tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon mace, freshly ground
¾ teaspoon Black peppercorn, freshly ground
Melt the butter in a small pan.

Place the whole, raw oysters on a rack on the grill. Allow the oysters to begin opening. Once they begin to open, immediately remove the flat half of the shell. Place the oysters back on the rack. Top the oysters with butter and allow the grill to flame up - this will add more flavor to the oysters. Sprinkle the oysters with fresh ground pepper and mace. Serve immediately.

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Two Egg Yolks

For the past few days, I've been munching my way into fatness, but I really can't help it. Imagine, a total of 6 bars of chocolate in 3 days, that's too much right? I blame it on PMS-ing, I'm always like this when the time of the month comes. Oh well. So anyway, I need to shed a few pounds yet again. What I plan to do (aside from checking out the best fat burner in town), is to strictly have 3 meals a day. That includes breakfast, which i am so not used to.

Anyway, I decided to prepare breakfast consisting of veal sausage and scrambled eggs and lo and behold! I cracked my egg and this came out:

Egg soothsayers, what say you?

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My Current Drink Obsession

Thanks to Almon Marina (in MOA), I discovered my current drink obsession: San Pellegrino Sparkling Juice Beverage!

Image from Pizza Blogger

I thought I would never find it in supermarkets, but thank goodness Rustan's Fresh has these wonderful drinks!

There was a time a couple of years ago when I jugged sparkling water (I prefer San Pellegrino than Perrier), so the Limonata is one very welcome drink for me! I haven't tried the Aranciata but I promise I will!

Only concern is it's dang expensive. Well, what did I expect right? Hehehe. If S&R carries this and price in bulk is good, I'd stock up on these.

PS: Husby, if you are reading, great news for you too! Becks in can is available in Fresh, while Becks in bottle is available in Pioneer Center.

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My Version of Pork Binagoongan

Here's my version of Pork Binagoongan which I cooked last night for dinner...

Deep-fried and pressure-cooked pork. Bagoong. White Wine Vinegar. Garlic. Onions. Tomatoes. Chili Powder. Water. Grilled Eggplant Slices. Shredded Green Mango.

More details found here at Van's Kitchen.

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Officially Out of The Calendar

But still in Bingo. Hope you know what I mean!

Anyways, gotta go for now. I'm busy preparing for our dinner tonight: Pizza (Yellow Cab order hehehe I gotta cheat a bit), Pasta Vongole, and Julia Child's version of Boeuf Bourguignon. Hope these will turn out ok as my family is coming over to celebrate!

See ya later!

EDIT: Here are some pictures! Unfortunately my sister didn't bring her camera. I had to rely on my camera phone. Sheeps.

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What's For Lunch?

Hmmm. Coq Au Vin it is!

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Van's Kitchen: Pork Tenderloin with Tomatoes and Olives

Been a while since I blogged about what's cooking in my kitchen, so here's one...

Pork tenderloin with Tomatoes and Olives

Recipe is HERE in my food blog.

Hope you enjoy!

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Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

I've been meaning to try Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon recipe for the longest time, but was temporarily taken aback because I felt it was too complicated, and prep and cooking time is too long. Besides that, I already had a simpler version (click HERE) that also worked well.

But then, I really got curious so last week I gave it a go. I told myself while preparing it... "If this does not taste better than my simple one then I'm gonna kill myself!" Nyahahah of course I wouldn't, but I know I'd be disappointed, aside from being dead-tired.

Almost 5 hours later, the results were in.

And... I LOVED IT! We all loved it! Those 5 hours were well worth it!!!!

Recipe can be found in Julia Child's Mastering the art of French Cooking Volume 1.

Love love love it, and I really highly recommend that if you have the time to spare and want to spend it in your kitchen, then try to do this at home. No regrets!

If you do not have a copy of this lovely book, then the recipe can be found in my other blog, Vannie's Kitchen.

Serve it with simple toasted bread (which we did), potatoes (for ultimate luxury pair this meal with potato gratin - recipe found in my food blog too), noodles, or rice. I prefer to use enameled cast iron casserole to cook it, but any casserole will do.

ENJOY!

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Can't Get Enough of It

Another serving of sole meuniere!

This time I served it with a simple salad of baby romaines, lemon dressing, and pepper-stuffed olives.
 This is LOVE.

RECIPE HERE at my Kitchen!

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Van's Kitchen: Sole Meuniere

I was meaning to post this recipe after I watched Julie & Julia but got lazy and was unable to do so. Hahahah. Now that I am making this again for dinner, plus I've got the time, here I am posting the recipe!

Sole Meuniere

Ingredients
4 sole fillets, skinned
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup flour
1 lemon juice plus lemon zest
Salt
Fresh black pepper
Finely chopped flat leaf parsley or parsley flakes

• Season fillets with salt and pepper. 
• Spread the flour in a plate. Dredge fillets in flour, shaking off any excess flour.
• In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. 
• Once the butter starts to brown (but not yet, and bubbles form slowly instead of fast), add a sole fillet, two if the skillet is large enough. 
• Cook over medium / high heat for 3-5 minutes. 
• Turn the fish carefully. 
• Add half of your lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. lemon zest to the pan. Cook fish an additional 2 minutes.
• Set aside cooked fillets and keep them warm. Do this for the rest of the fillets. 
• Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. When brown, remove from heat and pour over the sole fillets.

To serve, sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately.

Sole Meuniere is excellent in combination with potatoes or rice.

Wine Suggestion: Dry white wine or Reisling.

EDIT: Picture!

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Le Creuset Cassis Collection

When it comes to cookware, I am more often than not inclined to red or orange-y colors.

However, I am salivating over this...

Image from Surla Table

I WANT!

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Julie & Julia, and French Cooking

I was very happy when I got a copy of the movie Julie & Julia, and was even happier when I finished watching it. I was meaning to watch it when it was shown in movie houses last year, but was unable to do so. Staying at home gave me an opportunity, and I was really glad I was able to watch it.

As most of my friends and relatives know, I love cooking. all of my office mates were shocked to know this little bit of information about, and were all the more shocked when I told them I was the one cooking for our meals for dinner - right after I come home from work!

Admittedly, it was not Julia Child who inspired me to cook. It was my innate desire for good food (the French in me???) that led me to cook my own meals. Thank goodness for Food Network and the Asian Food Channel shows, my interest all the more grew. So much so that I also yearned for the best cooking utensils and pots/pans I could afford, and I was also glad I did that. My obsession for enameled cast iron was crazy, and my husband couldn't understand my fascination over very heavy pots and pans when there are cheaper and lighter alternatives.

Regarding cookbooks, I have always wanted to get myself copies of the two volumes of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but the prohibitive prices made me think twice.

I bought other books such as Nigella Lawson's "Nigella Express" and though it was a very good book that I'd recommend to everyone, my desire to get hold of Julia Child's books never got away. Probably because it taught French cooking, perhaps? My interest in French food (and everything Provence) actually came from me reading Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence" (and the two books that followed), and more importantly, his book "French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork and Corkscrew." 

This book I highly recommend.

Anyway, going back. Now that I have a copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," I am inspired to do what Julie Powell did. Not to blog about it, but to try ALL recipes (hopefully the ingredients are all available here). Hmm... That would be quite a feat, and I should also consider the impact on my weight and figure. Hahaha. Exercise and Carnipure perhaps? Hahahha. Anyway, let the French cooking begin!

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Folger's Gourmet Creme Brulee

I stumbled upon Folger's Gourmet Collection while at the grocery, and i was really tempted to get one, specifically the Creme Brulee...

At PhP300+ a bag, I couldn't justify buying it that time because I wasn't really a coffee drinker.

Bad decision.

Now I can't stop thinking about it. come to think of it, I bought Creme Brulee coffee in Starbucks years back, and it cost PhP 90 per cup that time. So why am I being stingy now? Hahahaha.

Luckily the grocery is near our place so I can go there anytime and get me a bag. will blog about it once I get to taste it!

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Foods to Eat Organic, Foods Not Necessarily Organic

Came across these two related articles on foods we should buy organic and foods that we do not have to buy organic.

Here's a summary:

Buy Organic

• Meat - Organic meat however is not yet readily available in our markets. Or is it? Please comment if you know. I saw organic pork sold in Fresh! Supermarkets but they are sooooo expensive.
• Milk - "Pesticides and other man-made chemicals have been found in human breast milk, so it should come as no surprise that they have been found in dairy products, too. While any residues detected have been rare, and of low concentration, milk is of special concern because it is a staple of a child's diets."
• Coffee - Go a step or two further, and look for the Fair Trade Certified label to ensure that your purchase supports farmers who are paid fairly and treated well. And look for shade-grown varieties for the trifecta: Then you know the coffee is being grown under the canopy of the rainforest, leaving those ancient trees intact, along with the wildlife -- particularly songbirds -- that call them home.
• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet bell peppers - Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with insecticides.
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Kale
• Grapes
  
• Leafy Greens - This one is easy. They are available in Salcedo Market every Saturday!
• Carrots
• Pears
• Potatoes

Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet corn
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas
• Kiwi Fruit
• Cabbage
• Eggplant
• Papaya
• Watermelon
• Broccolli - Look for tightly bunched flower buds on the broccoli stalks that are immature. In other words, try not to buy them if their little yellow flowers have opened. Color-wise, the broccoli should be deep green and the stalks should be firm and not rubbery. Before use, wash in a cool water bath and change the water a couple of times in the process. Store in the refrigerator crisper.
• Sweet Potatoes

Ok if Organic, Ok too if Not Organic: Tomatoes - previously should be organic but recent studies showed them to be cleaner than most. If you aren't growing your own, look for fresh in-season tomatoes at local farmers markets and farm stands. Look for glossy, firm skin -- and don't hesitate to try a delicious heirloom variety that might not look like a typical tomato!

Full Articles HERE and HERE.

Source: TheDailyGreen.Com

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Index Cutting Boards

I wish I have this!!!

From TheFindBlog.

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Planners and my Favorite Gift

This year I've got myself two planners:



1. Belle de Jour - My personal one to keep track of what I've done, been doing, and will do. Got an expense tracker every month, monthly tips, and even menstrual cycle tracker. Has some pages on dreams, goals, and so much more. Plus, discount coupons. Love this planner,

2. World Recipes Planner - got this from Rustan's Fresh! I had to complete them stickers everytime I do our groceries. This is a first for me, you know, to complete stickers to get a free planner. I'm using this to plan our meals and keep track of the menu for the week. Love this too.

And now, my favorite gift....




Mario Batali Enameled Cast Iron Deep Skillet

Of course it came from dear hubby! I initially wanted to get a Le Creuset (sold in Bacchus, Powerplant Mall) but chickened out at the last minute. Hello, 17k for a dutch oven? I don't think so! Not now, at least.

Can't wait to use this little (actually, big and heavy) baby.

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Testing My Dessert for Christmas

I just wanted to test the dessert I plan to serve this Christmas. I loved it.

Vanilla Ice cream topped with Strawberries in Wine

For the "sauce": In a saucepan over low heat, dunk in fresh or frozen strawberries. Add red wine, add sugar. Cook until it boils in the sides. Drizzle over the ice cream.

I'll make it more special though by using mixed berries. Yum yum.

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