Steak cooking tips

Posted on 03/07/2008 by cwildman
paganum steak

paganum steak

A few short sharp steak cooking tips :-

  • Make sure you start with good quality steak, preferably with a nice bit of fat and well hung for a minimum of 21 to 28 days.
  • The Pan. Make sure you use a heavy pan and get it really hot so that you can brown and caramelize the steak when sealing it.
  • Don’t mess with the steak, just leave it and let it brown and sizzle don’t keep prodding or turning it, the less messing the better.
  • Brush with oil before dropping into the pan.
  • Marco Pierre White suggests mixing a Knorr beef stock cube with a little olive oil into a paste and coat the steak with that before frying.  He swears by it.
  • Season steak with good quality sea salt like Maldon Sea Salt before frying.
  • For a medium cut steak, that is, not cut very thick, 2 to 3 minutes per side should give you a medium rare steak, increase timings for medium and medium to well, if you want it well done reconsider !!  go on try it medium or medium to well.
  • The steak touch or poke test, people use various systems but here are the main two I am aware of! Compare the softness in the fleshy muscle part of your thumb when you poke it with your finger to the feel when you prod the steak with the same finger!!  so for rare steak it should feel like your thumb touching your index finger, for medium rare – thumb touching your middle finger, medium – thumb to ring finger and medium to well done your little finger.  After you’ve tried this method you’ll get the idea, how it should feel follows.
  • Very Rare Steak – feels soft and squishy
    Rare Steak – soft to the touch
    Medium-Rare Steak – yields gently to the touch
    Medium Steak – yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up
    Medium-Well Steak – firm to the touch
    Well-Done Steak – hard to the touch
  • Link to a video of Jonny Gilmore cooking the Perfect Steak at the Devonshire Arms Bolton Abbey
  • Let me know your own top steak tips….
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Hairy Bikers in Skipton

Posted on 10/06/2008 by cwildman

Went to a meeting at The Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton this morning and who were getting all kitted up ready for a foodie motorbike trip in the Yorkshire Dales but Simon King and Dave Myers – better known as the Hairy Bikers, complete with wicker shopping baskets on the front of the motorbikes.   I will try and find out what they are upto in this area….

It’s a new tv series on regional baking, filming at Skipton Castle…..

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Stroud Farmers Market

Posted on 10/06/2008 by cwildman

I was visiting friends at the weekend in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire and couldn’t resist a trip to one of the best farmers markets in England at Stroud.

It was very good to see a vibrant farmers market full of fantastic produce and plenty of customers, some stalls were nearly sold out by 11am, nearly all the strawberries and green beans were gone.

We bought red and yellow cherry tomatoes, green beans, Single and Double Gloucester cheese from Godsells, Church Farm, Stonehouse and organic Cotswold Brie from Simon Weaver of Kirkham Farm, Upper Slaughter,  Sun dried tomatoes, scotch eggs, Gloucester old spot pork sausages (for the kids), apple juice, steawberries and a bottle of English wine.

The excellent scotch eggs were from The Handmade Scotch Egg Company which come in a fantastic array of flavours, we tried BlackWatch with rich black pudding and free range pork a Mac which is an original scotch egg (free range pork and seasoning), a Passion which is a bit different with free range pork, beetroot and red onion and lastly a Baz which is free range welsh white/landrace cross pork with fresh basil, sun dried tomatoes and black olives, they were mmm scrumptious…

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Really Easy English Asparagus Risotto

Posted on 30/05/2008 by cwildman
Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

Looked in the fridge and what did I find? English Asparagus and a few mushrooms, mmm so that will be Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto for tea then!

Ingredients:-
  • knob of local Yorkshire butter from Settle Creamery
  • small onion, finely chopped
  • crushed clove of garlic
  • couple of shakes of black & white pepper
  • pinch of coarse sea salt
  • chicken stock (or chicken stock cube)
  • water
  • English Asparagus
  • mushrooms
  • Parmesan cheese, grated
Method

Add a splash of olive oil and a knob of butter to a casserole pan (suitable for the oven)  and gently fry the Risotto rice (I use arborio) until it starts to go transparent.

Prepare chicken stock and add a crushed clove of garlic (or squeeze of garlic paste), pinch of coarse sea salt, black pepper and a couple of shakes of ground white pepper,  as this was a quick tea I used a chicken stock cube and approx half a litre of water.

In a different pan I fried the onion in a splash of olive oil and knob of butter until soft and starting to turn golden brown (dont over brown as spoils the look of the dish) throw in the chopped mushrooms and asparagus and fry off for a couple of minutes. 

Add stock to rice once it starts to go transparent and bring to boil, put lid on casserole pan and transfer to oven for 10 mins and then add further stock or water and onions, mushrooms and asparagus, back to oven for further 5 to 10 mins or until rice is cooked and all fluid absorbed, if not cooked add a bit more water and cook a little more..

dish up and grate some parmesan over and enjoy..

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Yorkshire Dales Farmers Markets

Posted on 28/05/2008 by cwildman

Farmers markets take place throughout the Yorkshire Dales, here are listed a few of them:-

  • Grassington Farmers Market – Village Centre – 3rd Sunday 9.30am-3pm
  • Leyburn Farmers Market – Market Place – 4th Saturday 8am-3pm
  • Ripon Farmers Market – Market Square – 3rd Sunday 8am-3pm
  • Settle Farmers Market – Town Square – 2nd Sunday 9.30 – 3pm
  • Skipton Farmers Market – Coach Street – 1st Sunday 9.30am-3pm
  • Thirsk Farmers Market – Town Square – 2nd Monday 8am-3pm
  • York Auction Mart – 1st and 3rd Saturday 9am-1pm
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BBQ camping food in the Yorkshire Dales

Posted on 28/05/2008 by cwildman

Found a great blog post on Girl Interrupted Eating about camping food on the barbecue at Riverside Campsite in Malham in the Yorkshire Dales.  Some great recipes and photos including Yorkshire Dales lamb and vegetable kebabs and the local scenery around Malham Cove.

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Hog Roasts

Posted on 16/05/2008 by cwildman

Following on from the success of Brother Nigel’s initial Hogroast events, we now have a shiny new Hogroast machine for hire complete with our home reared pork and Nigel the Chef.    Our current home bred pig breeds include Belgian Pietrain and Welsh.

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How to cook the perfect steak – Part 1

Posted on 11/04/2008 by cwildman

Our first attempt at a short video on how to cook the perfect steak is now on you tube, featuring Jonny Gilmore from the Devonshire at Bolton Abbey here in the Yorkshire Dales, Jonny prepares 3 well hung sirloin steaks cooking 1 rare, 1 medium and 1 well done.  Tips on the pan, seasoning and resting your steaks.  You can view the Perfect Steak video on You Tube here

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Rib-eye Steak with Savoury Butter

Posted on 17/03/2008 by cwildman
Rib Eye Steak from Paganum Farmers Market

Rib Eye Steak from Paganum Farmers Market

Simple Rib-eye steak with a homemade savoury butter similar to a Maitre d’Hotel Sauce.

First buy your quality Yorkshire Dales steaks from www.paganum.co.uk, here we are using the butchers favourite Rib-eye, approx 8oz or 250g each and about an inch thick.  Always let your steak warm a little by taking out of the fridge at least half an hour before you start cooking. 

Ingredients for the Maitre d’Hotel Sauce:-
  • 4oz local butter, diced and softened but not melted
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley or chives
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • Dash Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method

Its best to make the butter a couple of hours before you need to use it so it can chill and harden in the fridge.  soften the butter and mix with the chives/parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, mustard, Worcestshire sauce and black pepper & salt to taste.  Roll into a log or roll and cover with cling film and put back in the fridge to harden,  after a couple of hours you can cut coin sized pieces of the butter.

To cook the steak brush with olive oil and fresh black pepper add to a HOT heavy pan, griddle or BBQ and sear, turn over and brush the other side with oil and pepper and sear again, then reduce the heat and cook for the required time.

2-3 minutes on each side for Rare, 3-4 mins each side for Medium and for Well Done reduce the heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, the most important bit is then let your steak REST for at least 5 mins, put on a plate and cover with tin foil and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  To finish add a couple of the coins of butter on top of the steak and allow to melt or flash under the grill quickly.

The Maitre d’Hotel Sauce sauce has parsley and the chive version is more of a savoury butter.

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Pancakes & Pancake Day – Shrove Tuesday

Posted on 09/02/2008 by cwildman

Pancake Day Shrove Tuesday

It was Shrove Tuesday or Pancake day this week and we had a big stack, the individual record in our house was 7 !  The question is how do you like them, Sugar & lemon? Golden Syrup and Lemon?  maybe butter & syrup?  Nuttella is good for the odd one but you couldn’t live off it !! On the savory side the classic Yorkshire Ham and Cheese, I used Gouda but sure Wensleydale, Cheddar or Red Leicester would have worked as well…

When is Shrove Tuesday? Pancake Day 2009 was 24th February & in 2010 Tuesday the 16th February & 8th March 2011 and for 2012 21st February.

French Crepes usually come as a sweet dessert made with wheat flour and with sweet toppings such as sugar and lemon or as savoury Galettes made with buckwehat flour and containing savoury fillings, cheese, ham, etc.

A simple British Pancake recipe

Sift 100g of plain flour with a pinch of salt and, making a well in the centre of the flour break in an egg (free range and really fresh of course) and beat with a wooden spoon.

Gradually add 300ml of milk, beating and drawing in the flour from the sides of the bowl until the batter is smooth.  Or you can mix in an electric blender, adding the wet ingredients then the dry.

Heat a heavy based frying pan with a little Yorkshire butter, when it starts to smoke it’s hot enough and you can add the batter mix, just enough to cover the base, swirling the pan around to get the mixture to thin itself out to cover the pan base.  the thinner the pancake or crepe the better! Cook for one to two minutes and then either toss ! or use a spatula or fish slice to flip the pancake over.  serve immediately or stack between greaseproof paper and pop back in the bottom oven of the Aga.

If your adding cheese & Yorkshire ham or other fillings, then add to the pancake after youv’e flipped it over the first time and gradually fold the sides over the contents to form a package like an envelope.  For fruit soften in butter before adding. Try these other variations, Banana & Chocolate (Nutella), apple & cinnamon, ratatouille & cheese, cheese & tomato, or anything else that takes your fancy.  What’s your favourite?

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