How To Cook The Best Steak In The World

Every person likes their steak cooked a different way, so throughout this article I will make sure that I cover each possible different way so that you will always get the best result for yourself or whoever you cook for.
There are several different cuts of beef that will make a great steak, and there are also many grades of beef to consider, depending on what the cow was fed on the farm, so your first step is to choose which one you would prefer. The choices include rump, scotch fillet, porterhouse, eye fillet and T-bone as the main premium cuts generally eaten. The beef's grading will come down largely to marbling and maturity of the meat. There is a debate as to which is better out of grain-fed and grass-fed cattle, and really the answer is grass-fed beef is healthier for you as it is the most natural form of the cattle, while grain-fed beef will have a lot more marbling and flavour, so I will leave that choice up to you which way you want to go. As for maturity, I recommend finding a butcher that will hang your meat for quite a long time in their meat locker before carving it, I have found that 27 days is ideal. This will help tenderize the meat by having it stretched out and relaxing the muscles, to give you the best possible final result.

The rump and porterhouse are firmer cuts, and the rump in particular can be a bit tougher and chewier than the rest, and you will find a strip of fat at the top of each of these steaks, which will help flavour and tenderize the steak during the cooking process. Both these cuts I would recommend eating rare to medium-rare (I will discuss steak doneness a little later).

Meanwhile the scotch fillet will come very nicely marbled with fat throughout, and can usually be distinguished by a C-shaped piece of fat close to one side. Due to the marbling it will be very tender and full of flavour (however if you're on a diet it may be one to avoid for now), and I recommend eating it medium-rare to medium.

The eye fillet is the most tender cut of beef, and will normally be free of fat, although this also means you may need to do something extra to add some flavour to it, the most popular way being to wrap bacon around it during cooking, so the fatty flavours of the bacon are absorbed by the steak. This is my personal favourite steak, and is best eaten medium-rare to medium.

Lastly we come to the T-bone, which has both the eye fillet and porterhouse on either side of the bone, and will get its flavour from the strip of fat on the outside of the porterhouse. I recommend eating the T-bone rare to medium-rare, though it can be tricky to cook evenly due to the bone in the middle.

Once you've decided which cut of steak you will be eating, you need to work out how big a piece of meat you want. A normal-sized steak is generally around 300g for a good-sized meal, however it could range anywhere from 150g up to 1kg and even more! The size of your steak will become important later when you want to cook it to a particular doneness. For example, two different rump steaks could quite easily weigh the same amount, yet be completely different shapes, sometimes they can be wide and flat, and sometimes short and thick, depending on what part of the rump the steak was cut from. Choosing the size of your steak and the shape go hand-in-hand, it's best to have a thicker steak for a rare or medium-rare steak, and when you want a medium-well or above thinner is better. This is so it doesn't take a long time for you to cook, and you can still have a juicy steak without burning the outside.

Now let's just get away from the steak for a minute and think about what you're actually going to cook it on. Ideally you should have a chargrill, one that sits on an angle, and has enough space underneath the flame to have a tray that you can put a small piece of wood on. What I personally prefer is mesquite wood, which comes from the USA, and the best thing to do is to soak it in water for a couple of hours before cooking. This will help the wood give off its smoky flavour rather than just burn away, and it will also last longer, usually for at least a couple of hours.

I mentioned earlier that if possible your grill should be built on an angle, sloping up towards the back. As you know, heat rises, so naturally you should find the hottest part of your grill at the back, and get slightly cooler closer to the front. Most grills and hotplates in general will have certain "hotspots" that you will need to find for each one to work out the bests places to position your food when cooking. Once you've used a particular grill a couple of times you should find it quite easy to figure out your favourite spots to cook on. The combination of knowing where your "hotspots" are and using an angled grill will make it easier to find the best position to cook your steak. If you don't have a chargrill to use and you have a flatgrill or a hotplate instead, I would recommend not cooking your steak entirely through on the hotplate, particularly for medium or above, seal it on both sides then place your steak on a tray and finish it off in an oven. Otherwise all you will do is burn the outside and lose all the moisture and juiciness from your meat.

The other element to consider is how you would like your steak cooked. In general, a well-done steak should be placed at the back, a medium steak in the middle of the grill, and a rare steak at the front. Obviously, this leaves medium-rare between the front and middle, and the medium-well between the middle and the back. In some situations you will need to adjust this slightly depending on the size and shape of your steak, a big, thick rump may need to be pushed a bit further up the grill to cook properly, while a thin and flat porterhouse might be best kept a little closer to the front to avoid overcooking. Your steak positioning will come down largely to personal preference and a bit of practice and experience with your grill.

Now that you should have worked out where on the grill you will place your steak, you're almost ready to start cooking! What you need to consider now is how you will season your steak. You may not want any seasoning, that's fine, go right ahead and start cooking. If you wish to use salt and pepper, I would suggest waiting until one side of your steak has been sealed before sprinkling any on, as salt has the tendency to leech out some of the moisture from your meat. My preferred method of seasoning is to get a really good steak seasoning spice and generously cover both sides before placing your steak on the grill. When you do place your steak on the grill, if you are going to have a rump or a porterhouse, make sure you place the strip of fat at the top, so as it cooks the fat will melt and drip through the steak, adding extra flavour to your meat.
The process of actually cooking your steak is quite simple, but there are a few key things you need to know to get the best result. Firstly, the advantage of using the chargrill means you can have nice cross-markings on your steak when it's finished, which looks fantastic for presentation. To achieve this, your steak will need to be turned three times, the first time straight over itself, then on the second turn spin it around 90 degrees so the lines from the grill will cross over each other and make little brown squares all over the steak, and then the third and final turn will be straight over itself again. When you're finished the steak should have cross-markings on both sides, and you can choose whichever side looks best to serve facing up.

What you should find if you have got the grill positioning right for your preferred doneness, 3-4 minutes in between each turn should have your steak turn out just the way you like it! (If you are cooking your steak bleu, you only need to cook it for 3 minutes on each side in total, just enough to seal each side basically).
This is just a guide to work by only, as each grill will produce slightly different results, but definitely the most important stage of cooking your steak is knowing when it is at the exact doneness you would like. This can sometimes be a little tricky, but there are a couple of methods for testing your steak without needing to cut into it. The best method to use when you're just starting to learn would be what I call the "thumb test". Hold your left hand out open and relaxed, and press the flesh of your left thumb with your right index finger. It should feel quite soft, and this is how a rare steak should feel when you press it with your finger.
Now lightly touch your left thumb to your left index finger, and press the flesh of your thumb with your right index finger. This is how a medium-rare steak should feel when it's ready. Next, lightly touch your left thumb to your left middle finger, and pressing the flesh of your left thumb will feel like a medium steak when it's ready.

Touching your left thumb to your left ring finger will make the flesh of your left thumb feel like a medium-well steak, and touching the left thumb to your left little finger will make the flesh of your thumb feel like a well-done steak. Try this out as a guide to get you started, and as with all things, practice and experience will help you hone your ability and instincts to know just when your steak is cooked to perfection! And just as importantly, make sure you get feedback from every person that you cook a steak for, this will make your progress go much faster. As they say, "feedback is the breakfast of champions!"

Another method to use, which can be a little bit sneaky, is if you can see into the middle of the steak at the edges to see what colour the middle looks like. This works really well for a scotch fillet, as you can gently pull away part of the meat right where the C-shaped piece of fat is without damaging your steak, and see if the inside is red, pink or grey.

Now I will explain to you each doneness, so you can work out how you would like to cook it and so you know what to look for when it is finished.

I will start with bleu, which is basically just sealed, is still very red in the middle, quite mushy to the touch, and will feel a little cool inside, only slightly warmed.

Rare is red in the middle from edge to edge, a little mushy, and will just feel warm inside. Medium-rare is red in the middle and pink at the edges, and will feel warm inside. Medium is pink in the middle from edge to edge, feels tender to the touch, and will be warm to hot inside. Medium-well still has a quarter in the middle that is pink, and will be grey at the edges, feels quite firm and is hot inside. If you plan to cook your steak medium-well or above, I would suggest you could speed up the cooking time by using a steak weight to place on top of your steak. It should be shiny silver and kept clean, and what will happen is the heat coming up from the flames below will be reflected down on to the top of the steak so it cooks on both sides. Make sure if you use a steak weight that you only place it on your steak after sealing one side so there is no chance of cross-contamination.

Well-done steaks are grey throughout, no pink at all, quite firm, although can still be juicy, and is very hot inside. Very well-done steaks are grey throughout with no pink at all, very firm, very hot, and no juices whatsoever. You can also get your steak cooked Pittsburgh, which basically means charring the outside so it is burnt while the inside doesn't need to be completely cooked. For example, if you want to have your steak Pittsburgh-Rare, you could char the outside, and the inside would be red in the middle from edge to edge. To do this you will need some oil or butter, I personally use lemon butter just for the flavouring, and drizzle some over the steak until it drips onto the flames underneath. Your goal here is to build the flames up so they are licking at the steak and will cook the outside much faster than the inside.

CAUTION! Be very mindful of how much butter you use, make sure you have fire safety equipment, and if necessary that you have adult supervision. Do not do this if you do not feel comfortable working with large flames, it can be very dangerous if something nearby catches fire, so please be very careful if this is how you would like to have your steak cooked.

Everybody has different preferences when it comes to their beef, but I would urge you to try each different way so you can work out for yourself what's best for you. Many people fear the sight of blood coming out of their steak, if you can work up the courage to try something new for yourself, who know, you might find you really like it! I personally eat my steaks medium-rare, and would like to take this opportunity to mention that once your steak starts getting to medium-well and above, you really lose a lot of the nutritional benefits of eating beef, so I would recommend not cooking your steak any more than medium, but obviously that is a choice that is entirely up to you.

Now all that's left to do is to serve up your perfectly cooked steak, there are many choices of sides and sauces, far too many to list here. I always love it with a creamy mashed potato and seasonal steamed vegetables, and my favourite sauce is mushroom sauce. If you have the time the best sauce is made using beef bones, cooked off with a little tomato paste, then make a stock by boiling the bones in water with some celery, carrots, onion, leeks, bay leaves and peppercorns. Simmer it for a couple of hours until it reduces about three-quarters, and then remove the bones and vegetables. Add some red wine and port, and reduce it down to about half of where it is now, until it starts to thicken with a nice consistency. From here you can add some sliced mushrooms, or peppercorns if you prefer, and even add a little cream if you like as well. This is very time consuming to make the jus (rich beef gravy), but if you can do it you will find it well worthwhile. One other little tip I have for you is to brush a small amount of lemon butter over your steak before saucing it, this will keep your steak very juicy and tender.

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating many steaks in the future, and make sure you go out and impress your friends with your newfound cooking skills!

Mick Reade is a chef from Australia who has been cooking in commercial kitchens across the country for over 10 years, and has been helping teach others how easy it can be to cook great tasting and healthy meals, for more information please visit http://www.alleasyfoodrecipes.com

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Some Meals That You Can Prepare to Eat in Winter

When the winter comes, you may think about snowing places, icy roads, and other things. You may also think about some special activities you are able to do in winters. You are going to think interesting things to enjoy that season. But have you ever spent much time to think about the meals for winter? Here are some meals that you can prepare to eat in those cold days.

In cold temperatures, you need some food that can warm you up. Soup is a great option for you. There are some types of soup recipes you are able to choose from to eat. Delicious soup is also good for you when you are sick feeling unwell. The chicken soup can be called as the most popular soup. You can keep it in the fridge and warm it again when you would like to serve it later on.

Chili is another dish you are able to choose to warm your body in cold days. You are able to cook chili for some recipes you like. Chili can be cooked in very simple recipe. It is so good to warm up your cold body after doing some activities outside.

Or you are able to prepare any classic type of warm dishes, such as lasagna, casserole, pot roast, chicken chili, beef stew, etc. You even can make some experiments to some recipes you cook in order to warm your body. These meals are not only warming your body up, but also have delicious tastes, so you are not going to be bored to eat them for these cold days.

Gregory W. Ortiz, the author of this article, has written many articles about many things, such as beauty pageant, self-improvement, and some tips. For his newest website, he writes about kettler table tennis. You are suggested to visit kettler table tennis since it will help you find the best stiga table tennis and other information you need.

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Winter Comfort Foods For You

Winter is the best excuse to load up on your favorite comfort foods. Nothing beats a nice hot meal to warm you up on those cold nights, or unwind after a long day at work. Soups, sweets, barbecues-whatever you're into, there's sure to be a winter recipe that suits your tastes. To get your imagination going, here are five of the best winter comfort foods for the whole family.

Winter soups.

Soups and stews go down easily, so they're perfect for those really cold days when you need to warm up fast. And thanks to crock pot cooking, there's no need to wait all day for the soup to cook-just pop them in the slow cooker in the morning and you'll come home to a nice full pot in the afternoon.

Macaroni and cheese.

Comfort foods are all about bringing back the past, and what better way to do that than with a classic children's favorite? It's fairly simple and you can whip one up in half an hour. Serve your mac and cheese piping hot with your favorite topping: bacon, cream, mozzarella, you name it.

Sweets and desserts.

Got a sweet tooth? Head to the fridge and toss up a quick dessert snack. "Warm" desserts such as hot fudge and brownies make excellent winter comfort foods. If you're watching your weight, go for fruit-based foods like baked apples and peach cobblers, and use low-fat alternatives for butter, sugar, and other basic ingredients.

Wines.

Alcohol has an instant warming effect on the body and makes a good finish for winter meals. After dinner, enjoy a glass of your favorite wine while relaxing in front of the fireplace. Red wine is a classic, but if you're feeling adventurous, try some warm spiced wine or ale.

Fondues.

Having a winter party? Serve up a cheese or chocolate fondue and you've got a cheap but elegant-looking main course. Pair it with wine or offer a variety of hot drinks so your guests can help themselves. Spicy finger foods add warmth to the party and will keep everyone in a festive mood.

Simon Burke loves to cook delicious and nutritious meals for his family. And luckily for us he also enjoys sharing his cooking experiences and recipes with the rest of us. Find out more on Winter foods, click here [http://www.homehuddle.com/gardening-supplies/crock-pots-for-winter-soups.html].

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Warming Winter Soups

When the weather turns bitterly cold then there is nothing much better than tucking into a hearty bowl of warming winter soup accompanied by a decent chunk of crusty bread. Even the act of making a soup is comforting and warming in and of itself.

Moreover, a soup can be as complex or as simple as you want. A little stock, some seasonings and a handful of watercress makes an excellent soup. Add a splash of cream and you have a satisfying meal.

The recipes below are for two classic soups: recipes for a winter Minestrone and a traditional Turkey and Cobnut (hazelnut) soup.

Winter Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
8tbsp olive oil
40g butter
3 large onions, finely chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
250g potatoes, finely chopped
200g cannellini beans soaked overnight (tinned beans are fine, too)
2 courgettes, finely chopped
100g French beans, finely chopped
200g Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1.5l chicken stock (fresh is best, but stock cubes also work well)
1 piece Parmesan curst
175g tinned chopped tomatoes
50g grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Method:
Add the oil and butter to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Once the butter has melted add the onion and cook gently until soft and golden brown in colour. Next add the carrot and fry for a few minutes. Add the celery and again fry for a few minutes. Now add the potatoes and again fry for a few minutes. Next add the cannellini beans (if using dried) and the courgettes. Again fry for a few minutes then add the cabbage. Once all the vegetables are in the pot continue to fry (stirring frequently) for six minutes then add the stock, Parmesan crust and the tomatoes. Season and cover with a heavy lid. Cook gently or about three hours checking every half an hour or so to ensure that the stock isn't over-thickening (add more water if it is) but remember that the desired consistency should be soupy and thick. (If using tinned beans add them some fifteen minutes before the three hours is up).

Finally, remove the Parmesan crust, add the grated parmesan and adjust the seasoning. To gain the best flavour leave over night in the fridge and re-heat before serving the following day. Serve sprinkled with freshly-grated parmesan, garnished with basil and accompanied by crusty bread.

The next recipe is for a classic winter soup that makes the most of Christmas turkey leftovers:

Turkey and Cobnut Soup

Ingredients
75g cobnuts (or hazelnuts)
15g butter
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
225g left-over turkey meat
900ml chicken stock
1 egg yolk
150ml single cream
1 tbsp chopped fresh chervil
salt and black pepper
fresh chervil to garnish

Method:
Place the cobnuts on a baking sheet and toast under a hot grill for a few minutes, turning frequently to make certain they are evenly cooked. Transfer to a hand blender of food processor and chop finely.

Melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and paprika and fry for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the turkey meat and stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then transfer to a blender and purée. Return the soup to a pan.

Meanwhile whisk together the egg yolk and cream and add to the soup. Re-heat the soup (do not boil), stirring constantly then add the chopped hazelnuts and chervil. Cook for 1 more minute then ladle into warmed soup bowls. Garnish with the chervil sprigs and serve.

Dyfed Lloyd Evans is the creator of the Celtnet recipes website where you can find recipes for hundreds of both classic and modern soups as well as a huge range of traditional Christmas recipes and foods.

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Eating Foods to Improve Winter Health

According to the Ayurvedic medicine, a 5,000-year-old practice, eating foods according to their harvest seasons is essential to promoting balance, both in temperament and physical health.

It's easy to lose sight of the fact that certain foods aren't in season in a world where almost anything is available, at any time of the year. Fresh berries in December? No problem.

However, if we stop to notice the difference in taste and textures of seasonal foods, the fruits and vegetables that are harvested at their natural time of the year are the ones that really taste, smell and look their best. Butternut squash eaten in the fall and winter is far superior to the same squash eaten in the summer, after 8 months of storage. Summer lettuces and peppers can't be compared to the pale flavor of those transported vast distances mid-winter.

By eating seasonally, we can take advantage of more locally grown produce and we can support our vital organs that keep us strong, healthy and full of good energy. Eating with the seasons is also a great way to lose weight, beat food cravings and get fit.

The following foods are considered best eaten during the winter months. This isn't to say that you shouldn't eat anything that isn't on the list, but by increasing these foods and decreasing summer and spring foods, you can help boost your immune system, increase your energy and align yourself with the natural rhythms of the earth.

Fruit and Vegetables:

Cooked apples, bananas, dates, figs, grapefruit and oranges, grapes, lemons and limes, mango and papaya, persimmon, tangerines, avocado, beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, chillies, garlic, squash, sweet potatoes

Grains:

Amaranth, oats, brown rice, quinoa, wheat

Nuts:

Almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, filberts, flax, macadamias, peanuts, pecans. pine nuts, pistachio

Dairy:

Butter, buttermilk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, ghee, kefir

Meat/Fish/Seafood:

Eggs, beef, chicken, crab, duck, lamb, lobster, oceanfish, oysters, pork, shrimp, turkey, venison

Sweeteners:

Maple Syrup, molasses

Oils:

All nut and seed oils, olive oil

Spices/teas:

Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, anise, basil, black pepper, cumin, fennel, saffron, turmeric

Salt:

Use good quality salt such as sea salt without additives to help warm the body. Think of how salt is used to melt road ice - it can do the same work for our bodies. But note: eating high sodium, processed foods is not the same as adding good quality salt to home prepared foods! And if you have a medical condition that prohibits salt, continue to avoid.

Easy Recipes for Winter Health!

Beet and Orange Salad

This easy to make salad looks beautiful on a plate and tastes great, even to those who claim they don't like beets.

Ingredients

6-8 beets

2 large navel oranges, rind cut off with a sharp knife and cut into quarter inch slices, drizzled with 1 tbsp. honey

4-5 thin slices of red onion

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Dressing:

In a small jar, mix the following ingredients and shake to mix:

1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1-2 cloves crushed garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cover beets with water and cook with skins on. Simmer for 30 minutes or until beets can easily be pierced with a fork. After cooking, allow the beets to come to room temperature, remove peels and slice into rounds. Marinate beets and sliced onion in dressing.

2. Compose salad by layering beets and onions with orange slices and top with chopped walnuts.

Your Choice Curry

This easy curry is extremely versatile.

It's a great way to use leftover and create a warm, tasty meal that improves circulation.

Serves 4

Choose a protein of your choice: legumes, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, seafood, tofu or tempeh will all work with this warming recipe that takes minutes to make.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cooked protein 3 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 cup sliced onions

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, light or regular

1 tablespoon red curry paste

2 1/2 cups mixed vegetables: broccoli, peppers, peas, cauliflower, green beans, okra, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, bamboo shoots.....your choice, cut into bite sized pieces

Salt, to taste

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

Slice protein and set aside. In large sauté pan or pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook 3 minutes. Add coconut milk; whisk in curry paste. Add protein, cover; cook 3 minutes. Add vegetables, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes; stirring occasionally. Season with salt and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot over brown rice, quinoa, millet or couscous.

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Freezing For a Winter Buffet Dinner Party

One of the nicest things about the cold winter days must surely be the reality and appreciation of one's own home. This simple pleasure enjoyed by generations of people sitting comfortably before an open log fire, listening to the wind and snow outside, talking and joking. Another welcome winter pleasure is to give a party for friends, proving them with the opportunity of sharing the comfort and warmth of your home. Providing you make full use of your deep freeze, preparing a buffet dinner party for a crowd will be easy.

Choose the menu first and then prepare and freeze as much as possible, so avoiding a last minute rush. A good hostess should be relaxed and happy to entertain her visitors, not hot, tired and completely 'fagged out'. Even if the meal is delicious, your guests will feel embarrassed by any obvious fatigue caused by providing the meal for them. Be well organized and use your deep freeze to store the party menu. Choose dishes that freeze well and are easy to serve, requiring little last minute attention. Choose dishes that will reheat in a casserole so that they may, if required be taken from the oven straight to the table.

Try the following menu for your next winter buffet dinner party. Follow the instructions carefully and serve your guests a delicious and hot meal. The menu and recipes serve 12. Serve beer, cider or chilled white wine with the main course.

Canapés
Chicken and Veal Curry
Sweet and Sour Pork
Boiled Rice
Pineapple Gateau
Coffee

Canapés Recipe

Makes: - 24
Ingredients:-
8 slices white bread
oil for frying
cream cheese topping:-
1 x 4 oz. packet cream cheese
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper
green peas for garnish
salmon topping:-
1 x 3¾ oz. can smoked salmon
Lemon and capers for garnish

Method:-
For croutes:- Cut bread into small circles, using a cutter approximately 1¾ inches in diameter. You can cut 3 circles from 1 slice of bread. Heat oil, ¼ inch deep, in a heavy based fry pan and fry circles of bread until golden brown on both sides. Drain well. For cream cheese topping:- Mix cream cheese with cream until smooth. Season and taste with salt and pepper.
For salmon topping:- Drain salmon well.

To freeze:- Package croutes in a plastic container or in a plastic bag, seal well, label and freeze. Package cream cheese mixture in a plastic container, allowing ½ inch head space, seal, label and freeze.
Package smoked salmon flat in a plastic bag, remove air, sea well, label and freeze.

To serve:- Thaw croutes, cream cheese and salmon in containers at room temperature. Spread 12 croutes with cream cheese mixture and garnish with green peas. Cut smoked salmon into 12 neat circles with a cutter, place on remaining croutes and garnish with thin slices of lemon and capers. Serve canapés on flat plate.

Chicken and Veal Curry Recipe
Serves:- 12
Cooking time:- 1 hour

Ingredients:-
2 chickens
1½ lb. veal steak
¾ cup rice flour
6 tablespoons oil
1 green apple, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
extra 3 tablespoons rice flour
4 cups chicken stock (use stock cubes)
½ cup cream

Method:-
Remove chicken flesh from bone and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut veal into 1 inch pieces. Coat the chicken and veal in rice flour. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large fry pan and sauté half the chicken and veal until golden brown. Transfer browned chicken and veal to a large heavy saucepan and keep warm over a very low heat. Heat remaining oil in fry pan, sauté remaining meat until golden and add to first half in saucepan.

Gently fry chopped apple and onion in remaining oil in fry pan, until soft. Stir in curry powder, salt, ginger, mustard and extra 3 tablespoons rice flour. Add stock and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
Pour curry sauce over chicken and veal. Stir in cream. Simmer gently over a low heat for 30 minutes. Cool rapidly by standing saucepan in cold water.

To freeze:- Place a large thick plastic or polythene bag into a large casserole (to be used as a mould). Pour cold curry into bag, allow to settle in shape of casserole then seal well allowing 2 inch space for expansion. Place casserole into deep freeze until curry is frozen (approximately 4 hours). When frozen, block of curry may be removed from casserole and stored in freezer.

To serve:- Remove block of curry from plastic bag and place in original casserole. Thaw for 3-4 hours and reheat in a moderate oven (350-375ºF, Gas Number 4) for 1½ to 2 hours or until heated through. Stir in crushed garlic while reheating. Serve with boiled rice.

Note:- It is advisable to store the frozen curry for only 1 month, due to the large amount of onions and the curry powder which could develop 'off flavor' over a longer storage time.

Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe
Serves:- 12
Cooking time:- 45 minutes

Ingredients:-
3 lb. pork fillet
3 tablespoons soya sauce
1½ tablespoons dry sherry
5 tablespoons plain flour
¼ pint vegetable oil
Sauce:-
6 green peppers
2 red peppers
3 onions
8 oz. frozen green beans
8 oz. frozen 'baby' carrots
6 slices pineapple
¼ pint vegetable oil
3 tablespoons dry sherry
3 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons tomato sauce
3 tablespoons soya sauce
1 cup sugar
1½ tablespoons rice flour
1½ cups water

Method:-
For pork:- Cut pork into 1 inch cubes and mix with soya sauce and dry sherry. Drain off any excess liquid and toss pork in plain flour. Fry in hot oil until golden brown (about 15 minutes). Remove pork from pan and drain well.

For sauce:- Remove seeds from peppers and cut into thin strips. Chop onion, cut beans and carrot into strips and pineapple into cubes. Fry vegetables in heated oil in a large saucepan until slightly brown. Mix together the sherry, lemon juice, tomato sauce, soya sauce and sugar. Add to vegetables, along with pineapples cubes and bring to the boil. Blend rice flour with water to a smooth paste, add to mixture in pan and bring to the boil stirring continuously. Cool rapidly.

To freeze:- Spread partly cooked pork onto flat trays to cool. When cold freeze on trays for 2 hours (free flow method, see article of Packaging and Labeling the Food). Package in a plastic bag, remove air, seal well, label and freeze. Pour cold sauce into a plastic container, allowing 1 inch head space. Seal well, label and freeze.

To serve:- Thaw sauce for 6-8 hours and pork for 2 hours at room temperature. Heat ¼ pint oil in a large fry pan and fry pork until brown and hot. Drain well and place in a warm serving dish. Bring sauce to the boil, but do not simmer and pour immediately over the hot pork. Serve with boiled rice.

Boiled Rice Recipe
Serves:- 12

Ingredients:-
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups short grain rice

Method:-
Add ½ tablespoon salt to 8 cups boiling water. Gradually add 1 cup short grain rice. Boil rapidly, uncovered for approximately 12 minutes. Pour rice into a colander to drain. Repeat the whole process. Two lots of rice will give you approximately 6 cups of cooked rice. Once rice is drained, spread out to cool quickly.

To freeze:- Package cold rice in flat pack method (see article of Packaging and Labeling the Food) or in a plastic container. Seal well, label and freeze promptly.

To serve:- Break up frozen rice and drop into a large quantity of boiling water. Immediately rice returns to the boil drain through a large colander and serve hot.

Pineapple Gateau Recipe
Ingredients:-
2 large sponge cakes
1 pint cream
1 lb. apricot jam
1 x 1 lb. 13 oz. can pineapple slices
glace cherries
angelica

Method:-
Make or buy three 8 inch sponge cakes.

Whip the cream in a large bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Leaving whipped cream to stand, allows the water content to settle at the bottom of the bowl.

Slice sponge cakes across the center and fill with whipped cream and jam. Sieve remaining jam, heat gently and brush the tops of the sponges with warm apricot glaze. Decorate the tops with rings of well drained pineapple. Brush again with the glaze, place glace cherries and angelica leaves in a pattern on top of each sponge.

To freeze:- Freeze cakes in plastic containers without a cover for approximately 2 hours. Cover the containers with tight fitting lids or use biscuits tins as protection and seal well. Label it and freeze. Pineapple Gateau can be stored in your freezer for up to 4 weeks.

To thaw:- Simply thaw at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. Do not break the container seal during thawing period. Glaze cakes again with warm apricot puree if necessary before serving.

Daphnie is a food lover who has been involved in food industry for 10 years. She learned the easy and simple way cooking style from her mother and grandmother. She prefer to have the home make cooking style instead of outside food. She knew how much housewives will appreciate the recipes. Special thought has been given to the speed and ease of preparation to streamline cooking chores whenever possible to the minimum. Not only are these dishes attractive, they really are simple and speedy to make. Test and try out any of these dishes and you will agree that as well as being entirely successful, they all live up to our claim that they are not only delicious but quick and easy to prepare.

You can visit my website at http://www.a1cookrecipes.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yao_Daphnie

Winter Recipes

Is it truth that sweets can be seasonal, like kinds of sport or cloth? Yes, they can. In winter it’s time for us to pass to all that dishes, we refused to eat in summer: thick, hot, nourishing and hearty.

What we need to eat in winter

All fruit with vitamin C – it strengthens immunity and prevent from colds, give forces to us, tones up and cheers you up, like tea or coffee. Plenty of vitamin A is vital, as it controls our good adaptation to long gloaming and short light day, moreover, it makes our skin elastic, able to resist cold and freeze. So, we generously add citrus juices, rich in vitamin C, or black-currant syrup in all desserts.

Sea-buckthorn juice contains a lot of carotenes (provitamin A). Yolks contain natural vitamin A.

Immune system needs a lot of protein – it produces antibodies of proteins, protecting us from flu and bugs. Milk, cream, sour cream are excellent sources of protein.

All hot dishes help nutritive materials to be completely assimilated and in cold weather protect us from excess weight – as completely processed food almost is not saved in our organism as hypodermic fat, but burn during calorification. That’s why we like hot dessert drinks in winter so much. Kitchen herbs, improving blood circulation, have the same warming effect – cinnamon, cloves, ginger, - and strong alcohol – rum, brandy, whiskey and cognac, - that are generously added in fillings for pies, cakes, puddings, spice-cakes and cookies.

Warming sweet drinks

Do you always boil tea with water? Try to cook a “mountain Scotch tea” on milk! Pour a table-spoon of black tea with boiling milk (400 ml), leave covered for 7 minutes, add 2 table-spoons of flower honey or brown sugar to your taste. Children like this drink.

A “mountain tea for a lady” is very interesting. Whisk 2 egg yolks and 100 g of sugar in white foam and mix with strained hot tea, boiled on milk. A drink will be very nutritious – obviously, in Scotland men liked chubby ladies with voluptuous shapes.

Note, - black tea, rich in tanning agents, helps organism to assimilate milk – including people who stand milk badly.

You can drink hot juices, instead of usual tea, - orange or black-current ones, adding sugar to them and serving up 35% of whipped cream without sugar. A hot grape juice with a pinch on cinnamon, couple of cloves and a tea-spoon of orange peel is very tasty.

Forget about calories!

Of course, we won’t do without hot chocolate in winter – aromatic and piquant. Melt 70% brown chocolate (150g) broken to pieces on a water bath with milk (100 ml), then add a peel of one orange, half of tea-spoon of cinnamon and again 200 ml of hot milk. Mix everything carefully and boil to the boiling point. Remove from cooker at once. Whip 35% cream (200 ml) with a table-spoon of powdered sugar and fixing agent (1 packet) in think wavy foam. Pour hot chocolate in 2 big cups, cover with whipped cream and powder with cocoa powder or cinnamon. You can add liqueurs – egg, amaretto, creamy, coffee, and also cognac or brandy – in hot chocolate, instead of peel and cinnamon.

Note! Cranberry, cowberry, banana and coconut liquors and vodka don’t go with hot chocolate.

It's as easy as pie

You never used half-stocks to cook cakes and pies? You’d have to. You will save powers, time and receive a wonderful tasty home product. Before baking, you can add melted butter to a half-finished product (instead of vegetable one, noted in receipt), and also candied fruits, raisins, dried apricots, prunes, orange peels, jam and grated black and white chocolate. As a result, you will receive a unique dessert. Or soak just baked chocolate cake you have taken out of oven 5 minutes ago with a mixture of 100 ml of brandy, warmed-up with a packet of vanilla sugar and a table-spoon of coffee. Then pour with chocolate icing of chocolate melted on a water bath (200 g).

Note! Almond or filbert you add in pastry before baking can greatly “refine” a cake you bought in a store. Calcine nuts in an oven under 200C during 5 minutes, peel them off and crush with a knife to big bits. You will need about 100 g of nuts for one cake.

Parfait “Winter sun”

Your husband will like this ice-cream with bitter sauce of brandy!
Cooking:

We will need: 5 egg yolks, 150 g of sugar, 100 g of powdered sugar, 100 g of sea-buckthorn juice, 3 egg-whites, 300 ml of 35% cream

1. Warm up sea-buckthorn juice with sugar, wait until sugar dissolves and the liquid thickens.

2. Whip hot sea-buckthorn syrup together with egg yolks using mixer. Mass should increase its volume twice.

3. Whip cream into a wave foam. Mix it with the rest egg mass.

4. Whip egg-whites and powdered sugar in elastic thick foam separately.

5. Mix creamy-yolk and egg-white mass together carefully.

Put into mould and place in freezer compartment for 6 hours, till mass hardens.

Cooking a black sauce

We will need: 200 g of black 70% chocolate, 6 table-spoons of water, 120 g of sugar, 50 ml of brandy.

1. Boil water with sugar in a pannikin. Remove from fire and leave for a while.

2. Add chocolate broken to pieces in syrup. Place on slow fire. Mix until chocolate melts, then pour brandy.

Cool sauce till room temperature and serve up with ice-cream.

Right winter desserts

1. Cake and pretzel

2. Hot patties with jam or nut filling

3. Pies with nuts, chocolate, cotton cheese

4. Biscuit pies

5. Pastry

6. Dessert cream

7. Creamy ice-cream

Wrong winter desserts

1. Fruit jelly

2. Yoghurt cakes

3. Curd cakes with gelatin

4. Open pies with berries

5. Berry mousse

6. Light yoghurt ice-cream

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of All about women site, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others. She also has Blog for women [http://www.womanspassions.com/blog/].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yana_Mikheeva