FOOD FOR FATHERS' DAY: BEEF KOREAN STYLE WITH SESAME ASIAN NOODLES, Wallet-friendly, Make-ahead

Heat with a hint of sweetness:  sensational outdoors or in, city or country...

Korean Style Beef Slices, spicy, sweet & tender

'This excellent beef with Sesame Noodles made a darned good meal!'  Taster 

 2/8/16

This recipe is an ideal dish for Fathers Day -- it's quick and easy, partly prepared ahead of time and when the weather is good, a show-stopper.  

It's a westernised version of a spicy-sweet Korean recipe, inspired by Bon Appetit magazine, made with ingredients found in most kitchen cupboards. 

The marinade works with every budget.  It can be used with pork loin or shoulder, sirloin, hanger steak, beef short ribs and all cuts of chicken.

67 went with beef short ribs, a cheaper cut (about £7/kilo, 2017) which usually needs long, slow cooking to tenderise.  Short ribs also release a great deal of fat when cooked.  Would the recipe overcome these challenges?    

Definitely yes. The meat is sliced very thin, marinaded overnight and cooked very fast.  The result was exceptional; meat with substance  -- in a good way -- and wonderful flavour.  The pear's natural sweetness enhanced the savouriness and heat of the marinade. 

The meat did, however, release quite a bit of fat when cooked; draining it in a colander allows most of the excess to drip away. 

Sesame Noodles with Korean Beef

It's perfect teamed with Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad and Asian Soft Fruit Salad , both prepared in advance.  

Cost: £4.00
Feeds: 2-3 but multiples easily

Ingred:
   8-12 oz/225-340 gm beef short ribs, bones & fat removed & cut into fillets (or  more tender cuts of steak) 
   
marinade:
    1 small pear, peeled & grated   
    1 garlic clove, minced or grated
    2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
    1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
    1-3 shots tabasco sauce (opt)
    1/2-1 tbsp brown sugar
    1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

    1-2 tbsp ground nut or other light vegetable oil

Method:

1. Place beef fillets in freezer for an hour or two
2. Mix marinade ingredients thoroughly, cover & set aside
3. When meat is frozen enough to cut thinly, slice across the grain with a very sharp knife (*every kitchen should have a first aid kit with extra-large band-aids)
4. Add meat slices to marinade, mix thoroughly
5. Pour beef & marinade into a sealable plastic bag; smoosh the meat & marinade together until the meat is well coated
6. Leave at room temperature 30 mins or refrigerate overnight
7. When ready to cook, heat a large frying pan on med-high; when hot, add a tablespoon oil 
8. Add half the meat in one layer; leave a minute or 2 to get a good crust
9. Turn; leave a minute; stir another 2 mins until edges crisp up 
10. Drain, set aside and keep warm 
11. Cook the rest of the meat and drain; mound the meat on a platter lined with leaves
12. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions, green part only.   

Comments:

'I only get to eat beef occasionally and loved this so much I was ready to barter for more.  The combo of heat and sweetness was sublime; the meat slices were both robust and tender.  Delightful!'  70+ taster

Tips:

• the meat is lovely warm but is also excellent at room temperature, on a picnic 
• the recipe doubles easily

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This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

FATHERS' DAY: LEMON MERINGUE PIE WITH A DOUBLE SURPRISE, make ahead

The perfect Dad's dessert

Lemon Meringue Pie with a Double Surprise  (using ready made tart shells)

' Amazing; all round perfect!  Loved the raspberry addition.'  20+ tasters (photo june 2016)

Lemon Meringue Pie is another of those once-a-year 'bloke' treats hauled out on special occasions.

Forget about healthy -- this one is a definite Indulgence.  The only way to exert dietary discipline is to practice portion control. Good luck with that.

For the cook, this recipe is a blessing.  Everything but the meringue can be prepared in advance.  The lemon curd filling, using a simple no-fuss recipe, can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. If you must, buy a good thick curd instead, but once you try home-made, you'll never go back.  

Ready made pastry instead of homemade will save time; bought in pastry  shells can be prepped on the day.  Homemade can be made the day before needed and wrapped well.  But the meringue should be made and the pie constructed on the day.

Lemon Meringue tartlets 

The Blogger planned to use Easy-Peasy Pastry but for various reasons wasn't able to.  Ready-made sweet pastry tarts from M&S and Waitrose were tested instead -- about £2.50 for one large or 6 medium.  The thickness of the ready-made tarts was a little worrying but, in this recipe, they made an excellent base for the layers of filling.  Few will guess they were not made with the cook's fine fair hands.

Whether homemade or bought in, the tarts should be brushed with melted chocolate (use a pastry brush) to avoid the dreaded soggy bottom. 

If cooking for a crowd, this can be made in a rectangular tin with supermarket all-butter shortcrust pastry.  Once cool, cut in medium to small squares.

Cost: £3 for home-made; about £5?? for store-bought pastry and curd  
Feeds: 6-8 round; many more in squares

Ingred:

   1 large baked pastry shell, or 6-8 smaller ones, with the bottoms and lower sides brushed with melted chocolate and allowed to set (the chocolate needs to be well melted, until it flows easily)
   50-65gm/1.75-2.3oz 70% dark chocolate, melted
    
   Lemon Curd Filling:
     2 oz/60gm butter, at room temperature 
    2 1/2-3 oz/70-90 gm sugar 
    2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks  ( extra yolks are optional but make the curd wonderfully rich. Save whites for meringue.)  
   1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

      juice (no zest) of 2 lemons

   Meringue:
       2-3 egg whites
       2 1/2-4 oz/110gm sugar

  1 punnet fresh raspberries 
  
Method:

Lemon Filling (prep up to 5 days ahead)

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil; reduce heat to a simmer; have ready a heatproof bowl that fits on top but does not touch the water  
2. Beat butter and sugar together until light, pale & fluffy - it will take a few mins 
3. Add eggs and yolks (if using); beat till blended
4. Add vanilla; beat
5. Add lemon zest and juice; blend thoroughly -- it will look ghastly and curdled but will turn silky smooth later 
6. Pour into the bowl; place over boiling water in saucepan 
7. Stir constantly with a whisk (don't leave it!); after a few minutes the mix will begin to thicken
8. As you meet more resistance, poke the back of a wooden spoon into the curd; when the curd coats the spoon and your finger leaves a trail through it, it is done
9. Pour through a fine mesh sieve (removing any bits of egg or impurities) into a clean dish; cover surface completely with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming
10. Leave for an hour; refrigerate
11. It lasts 5 days 

Pastry case/s: (can be done the day before)

1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water until completely melted
2. Generously brush base and sides with melted chocolate.
3. Allow to cool; chocolate will solidify
4. If preparing in advance, wrap well in cling film; store in a cool place

Meringue (prepare on the day)  

1. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks (the tops will be floppy)
2. Add sugar, one teaspoon at a time, continuing to beat until sugar is used up and the meringue is stiff and glossy

Constructing the pie (on the day):

1. Pre-heat oven to 350f/180c/gas4
2. Line chocolate covered base with halved raspberries 
3. Spoon or pipe over the lemon curd; level with spatula
4. Pile meringue on top, right to the edges; swirl attractively
5. Bake 15 mins or until meringue is crisp and golden (check after 10 mins)  

Tips:

• instead of making one large pie, make tartlets
• if there are leftovers; they still taste great the following day    

        More desserts on NavBar: Recipes II (bottom page)

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This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

EXQUISITE LIME & ALMOND SHORTBREAD, easy, egg-free, wheat-free option

Exquisitely scented, beautifully textured biscuits worthy of the most special guests

Lime Almond Shortbread with Lime Icing, Easy-Peasy
'They smell gorgeous; the lime is exquisitely delicate' Tasters

Need something special for favoured guests?  These beautiful biscuits will convert even the most reluctant eater of sweets.

They take only minutes to prepare but offer aeons of pleasure.

Conventional flour can be replaced with lower-gluten, higher protein Spelt flour.

Like most baked goods, they are best on the day but will keep in an air-tight tin for 3 days.  

Cost:  £2
Makes: 24 biscuit but the recipe halves easily

Ingred:
    5 1/2oz/155gm plain flour 
   generous 2oz/60gm self-raising flour 
   1 tsp baking powder
   1 1/2 oz/45gms ground almonds
   1/2 tsp salt
     
   8 oz/250 gm softened unsalted butter, left out overnight or zapped in the microwave for 20 sec  
   4 oz/125 gm icing sugar
   
  1 tsp vanilla extract
   zest 2 limes
   2 tbsp lime juice
   75g coarsely chopped whole almonds

Lime Drizzle
   2oz/60gm icing sugar
   1-2 tbsp lime juice

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 300f, 150c, gas 2-3.  Line 9x12 inch/30x23 cm tin or equiv. with greaseproof paper (use a bit of dough to stick corners down see How to...prepare tins for baking)
2. Toast whole almonds in the oven 3-5 mins; keeping a careful eye on them, they burn easily; chop coarsely
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, using a fine-mesh sieve.  Stir in ground almonds until well mixed
4. Using electric beaters or a free-standing mixer, beat butter & icing sugar until smooth & light coloured, about 3 mins
5. Beat in vanilla, lime zest & lime juice.  
6. Add flours; beat on low speed; stir in chopped nuts. 
7. The mix will be thick; scrape into tin, pushing dough into sides & corners; level with spatula or knife  
8. Bake 40 mins until top changes from shiny to dull & it feels firm 
9. As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, cut shortbread in the tin into fingers or squares 
10. Leave 30 mins, then move to a wire rack until completely cool
11. Lime Drizzle: Sift icing sugar, slowly add lime juice until the icing is the right consistency to drizzle over biscuits 

Tip: 

• A 50-50 split of white & wholemeal flour will make a healthier biscuit.  When sifting, bran will be leftover; simply mix it in.  

For more biscuits, go to NavBar: Recipes 1/Cookies 

Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission. 

HAM & PEACH LOWER-CARB PASTA SALAD, vegetarian & wheat-free options, prep ahead

Definitely not dull and boring...and it's low-carb!

first posted 2017; updated 5/23

 Ham, Peach & Vegetable Pasta Salad: low-carb  
'Not the usual dull boring pasta salad but a different taste in every bite' Taster 

Even carb-phobics will love this healthier pasta salad.  The trick is in using high-fibre pasta and matching it with an equal or greater amount of protein, veggies and maybe fruit. Tie it together with a lower-fat creamy dressing and voila!

67 used M&S' reasonably priced Italian wholemeal pasta  and none of the tasters noticed it was wholemeal.  (A wheat-free option is the equally tasty but much more expensive spelt wholemeal pasta.) 

The recipe is double-duty -- the base will serve both carnivores and vegetarians, saving time and effort.  Everything can be prepared the day before and assembled before serving.   

It's a gorgeous satisfying salad for picnics in or out.  67's tasters say it was even better on the 2nd day!

Cost: depends on ingred: min £3.50'ish with home-cooked ham hock (5/23)
Serves: 4-8


Ingred for Base:
   200gms/just over 7oz dry wholemeal pasta, cooked according to packet until al dente; rinsed, drained and lightly tossed in a tbsp olive oil 
  1 tin sliced peaches in juice, drained & coarsely chopped OR a couple of coarsely chopped ripe peaches or nectarines 
  tabasco or finely diced chillis or chilli flakes to taste (opt)
  generous handful pine nuts (or for the frugal, sunflower seeds)
   
   at least 200gms/just over 7oz, pref more, of any or all of these veg: leftovers or cooked 3 mins in boiling water & plunged into ice water:  
    cauliflower florets
    broccoli florets
    French beans
    corn niblets
    peas
  PLUS


raw: any or all of small handful: radishes, thinly sliced 
        mushrooms (chestnut are good) in 1/4 inch dice
        celery, peeled, in 1/4 inch dice
        bell peppers, seeds & membranes removed, in thin strips

  fresh parsley & basil (opt), not finely chopped

Carnivore Option: 
    1 cup shredded ham hock or deli ham 

Vegetarian Pasta Salad 

Veggie Options: 
    Grilled or roasted asparagus
    sun blush toms
    shards of parmesan (for those with deep pockets) OR feta OR goat's cheese OR mature lower-fat cheddar (Cornish Cove recommended)
    vegan: spiced firm tofu


   Yoghurt-Mayonnaise with Lemon
   8 tbsp strained 0-fat yoghurt
   6 tbsp mayonnaise
   1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
   1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest 
   pepper & salt

OR if budget demands, mayo or salad cream with lemon zest & juice , salt & pepper
   Mix well.

Method:

1. Thoroughly mix pasta, chosen veg &  pine nuts; each spoonful should hold pasta, fruit and lots of veg 
2. Stir in enough yoghurt-lemon-mayonnaise to moisten
3. Add tabasco/chilli if using and herbs not finely chopped 
4. Season with pepper & little salt; 
5. Divide according to needs
6. Carnivores: stir in ham hock and peaches; taste; adjust seasoning; more chilli/tabasco may be needed 
7. Vegetarian: Add extra vegetarian options plus chosen cheese and/or tofu 

Comments:
'Amazing.  Really like the peach and the broccoli but needs more chilli.' Mature office administrator
'A summery salad with a good blend of textures.  Definitely not the usual dull and boring pasta salad; if offers a different taste in every bite.  I want more.' Mature Political agent 

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.