Steaks on the Barbecue

Tenderloin steaks or thick cut strip steaks 

Directions for perfect steaks! Medium Rare

1)  Take the steaks out of the fridge about 1/2 hour before you want to cook them so they are at room temperature.  Pat dry with a paper towel. 

2) Season the steaks 5 minutes before cooking, on both sides with your favorite steak spice. I like the spice from The Lord Nelson in Burlington, Ontario, or Barbarian's or Weber is also very good. 

3) Turn all the barbecue burners on high heat. Brush the grill with oil when it is hot. 

4) When the barbecue is 450-500, put the steaks on the grill for 2 minutes on direct/high heat. (1 to 1 1/2" steaks). Sear for 3 minutes if the steaks are thicker (2"- 2 1/2"). 

5) Turn the heat down to medium and flip the steaks.  Close the lid. Cook on Medium/ Direct heat for 6 minutes. Then flip them again and cook an additional 2 minutes. So total cooking time is 10 minutes. 

6) Put on a plate, add a dot of butter on each one, and cover loosely with foil. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into them. 

7) To check for doneness during cooking, press gently with the ginger or a finger.  They should be fairly soft like the inside of your palm. If you need to cook them more, put them back on the grill on in-direct heat for a couple of minutes. 

8) Adjust the cooking time for Rare or Medium. 

Best Gourmet Hamburgers

 Makes 4 

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (80-90% lean)

   For Vegan burgers, substitute Gardein ground beef 

   or Beyond Meat ground beef

1 TBS water

2 TBS barbeque sauce

½ tsp salt or steak seasoning 

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 egg, or equivalent egg substitute

¼ cup dry breadcrumbs

Mix the egg, water, mustard, barbeque sauce, salt, pepper together in a bowl with a whisk or fork till smooth.  Add the breadcrumbs and whisk.  Then add the ground meat and mix gently with a wooden spoon till it holds together.

Make 3 - 4 patties per pound of meat. Each one is about 4-5 oz.  Make a ball and then press flat to about ¾ “ thickness.  Handle gently.

Barbeque on med-high heat for about 4-5 minutes per side.  Turn once and do not move them once they touch the grill till you’re ready to flip them. (Otherwise they’ll stick).  Do not press them while they are cooking.  (They’ll dry out).

Top with sliced cheddar cheese or vegan cheese.  Lightly toast the buns. 

You can add salt & pepper before serving.

Serve with your favorite condiments. 

Fettuccine Alfredo - with Crispy Prosciutto

 

Serves 2
as a main course 

or 4 as a side dish 

Ingredients: 

1 lb or 375g of Fettuccine Pasta *

6 TBS butter 

1 Garlic clove (minced or pressed) 

1 1/2 cups of heavy cream (35% whipping cream)

1 1/4 cups of grated parmesan cheese 

1/4 tsp pepper 

salt (as needed after tasting) 

2 TBS fresh Italian Parsley, chopped 

3 strips of Prosciutto, sautéed and chopped

Instructions: 

* You can used dried or fresh pasta. The fresh pasta cooks very quickly in 4-6 minutes and the dried will take longer. 

1) In a large pot, boil the water till you see a rapid boil. Add salt. Once it is boiling, turn the heat down to medium high, add the fettuccine and cook according to package directions. 

2) Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium-high and add a little oil. Lay the prosciutto slices down in a single layer and fry till crisp. Turn once. Remove. Let cool and chop into diced pieces. Reserve. 

3) In a large skillet or pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream. 

4) Let the heavy cream reduce by simmering on med-low for 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally. Then add 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan to the pan and whisk till smooth and the cheese has melted. 

5) Drain the fettuccine and save some of the pasta water (about 1/2 cup). It can be used to make the sauce a bit thinner of if is a bit dry. 

6) Toss the noodles in the saucepan and add another 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.  Add a bit of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick. 

7) Serve in pasta bowls with a fork and spoon to twirl. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and chopped prosciutto on each serving. Serve remaining 1/4 cup of grated parmesan in a bowl for guests to add.  

Salt & pepper as needed. 

Recipe adapted from Modern Honey