It's been a little while since I've tried a new recipe or meal. I've been in a cooking slump, mostly due to the lack of time to spend in the kitchen. We really wish we had a grill, especially during the summer months. I've thought about getting some kind of indoor grill-like cooking surface. We found this pan at TJMaxx, and put it to use that same night:
It's a cast iron pan with an enamel coating on the outside. It is VERY heavy, and has this extra piece to press down on top of foods (not sure how useful that will be).
We picked up some beef at Publix. Now, I'm not a huge beef fan. It can be fatty, which to me is gross. And then there are cuts that can't be cooked quickly or they will wind up tough. So, I have a hard time picking out a piece of beef, and I'm not going to by an expensive cut of sirloin (or whatever) to cook in the pan - it just ain't right. This piece of flat iron steak seemed marbled enough to stay tender and thin enough to cook evenly and through in the pan.
Here's the line up of seasonings we used. The herbs on the right were Herbs de'Provence, or some kind of blend of Italian herbs. It would have been best to marinate so that the steak could absorb more of the flavor, but this was dinner on the fly.
I soaked each side in wine and soy sauce, then shook the Lawry's and herbs on top and rubbed them in, then threw it in the pan.
After several minutes I flipped it over, and was a little excited to see those "grill lines." Now, of course it doesn't give the same flavor as a real, outdoor charcoal grill, but it is a step up from a flat pan which just lets the meat steam in its own juices. I also added some mushrooms to the pan, with a little butter and wine.
This is where things got weird. I stood in front of the rice aisle trying to find a mix, like rice pilaf or something. I saw this quinoa and brown rice mix, but did not realize it was pre-cooked until I was trying to determine how long to cook it, and the package said to rip open the top and a tablespoon of water and microwave for 90 seconds. WHAT?! So I took the suggestion in fine print and warmed it up in a skillet. It was a little disturbing to think that this rice had been cooked who knows how long ago, packaged, and sat on a shelf. I like the combination of quinoa and brown rice, but I won't be buying this again. I'd rather cook my own.
Tada! A quick and yummy meal for dinner! The steak was tender, and had good flavor (which could have been better by marinating). I would probably try cooking this cut of meat again- maybe with different seasoning, like a lime marinade (to replicate my favorite Urban Cookhouse dish...hmmm).
What are your favorite cuts of steak/beef to cook indoors?
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