Beef Steak and Dumplings with Onion Gravy

An ultimate creation! I had plenty of odds and ends left in my fridge from my New Year's Eve feast. Isn't it wonderful how the same ingredients (plus a couple others) can create a completely different yet super delicious meal!

So check this out. I whipped it together in less than 20 minutes!

(Feeds 2 people)

1 small sirloin steak (my steak on New Year's Eve was actually half of 1 large steak) - cubed

3 tbsp flour

1/4 onion - chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3/4 cup mushrooms - sliced

3 spring onions - sliced

3/4 cup beef or onion stock

1/2 cup beer

Some potato dumplings (use whatever kind of potato dumplings you have or prefer, I had some gnocchi in my fridge)

pepper to taste (no added salt should be necessary as the stock will be salty)

2 tbsp mascarpone (optional but strongly recommended for added richness)

small handful of fresh basil - chopped

Instructions:

- Saute onions with butter and olive oil

- meanwhile coat beef cubes with half the flour and some pepper

- add beef to the pan with the onions. brown the beef then add remaining flour, spring onion and mushrooms. Cook for another minute then gradually add the beef stock and beer.

- Simmer and stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reduces and starts to thicken, then stir in the mascarpone and basil

- toss in the dumplings

Serve with crusty french bread (unless you're eating allot of dumplings, but I'd recommend to eat only a few dumpling so you have room in your tummy to soak up the gravy with warm crusty bread).

Yum!!!!

Pasta Primavera

This is a new favourite of mine! Delicious, healthy and quick to make! But not only that, the thing I like most about pasta primavera is you can use whatever spring vegetable you fancy most - no strict guidelines....Ok, I know it's not spring right now but these vegetables are actually available year 'round, so whatever. He he!

Many of you might already know that the word 'primavera' means spring, so really we should use spring vegetables otherwise it would have to be called something else (like pasta 'inverno' - winter pasta...hey! that's a great idea!! I might work with this idea...I'll keep you posted on it)

Although this pasta has an Italian name (and it is PASTA after all), it is not actually and Italian dish. This is an an Italian-American dish. Who knew!?

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.... Pasta Primavery, yes, super delicious, simple, healthy, excellent when you're hungry but don't want a heavy meal.

(Feeds 2 people)

300g short pasta (such as fusilli, penne, rigatoni)

1/2 a small courgette - julienne

3/4 cup muchrooms - sliced

1/2 a small carrot - julienne

1/2 red, orange or yellow bell pepper - julienne

1 cups broccoli florets

3 spring onions - sliced diagonally

1 clove garlic - crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp each of fresh basil and parsley - chopped (or 1/2 tbsp each of dried)

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Cook pasta al dente in salted water
- In the mean time heat half the olive oil in a pan, add broccoli and carrots. Heat through for about 1 minute then add all remaining ingredients. Cook on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
- Toss the pasta in the pan with all the vegetables and the remaining olive oil

This tastes delicious as is but you can also 'luxury' it up a bit and serve with some parmesan shavings and an added sprinkle of chopped fresh basil


This will be my entry for this week's Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by the founder herself, Ruth Daniel's from Once Upon a Feast!

Celebrate New Year's Eve for One!

Who says spending New Year's Eve alone should be sad, lonely and boring? Tisk tisk!

This year is my first spent alone and I am taking full advantage of making it all about ME! and food, Of course. He he!

I went shopping in the afternoon to spoil myself with a new festive red sweater and some PJs to snuggle up in on the sofa while watching the ball drop and drinking champagne. Can't wait! Who says one cannot enjoy some sparkly on their own? Tisk tisk!

I've bought lovely foods to create my own New Year's Eve 3 course dinner....that's right, a 3 course dinner. Who says one cannot eat a 3 course dinner on their own? Tisk tisk!

I put on some music, got out my groceries and danced the night away while making and eating my 2010 New Year's Eve dinner.

For starter I prepared Cream Cheese Smoked Salmon Swirls

So simple and such a tasty and impressive party pleaser.

Lay out a wide strip of smoked salmon, spread with plain cream cheese, sprinkle with plenty of dill and a dash of celery salt. Then simply roll. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes, then slice the long smoked salmon roll with a sharp knife into little circles.

As my main I prepared Sirloin Steak with Mushroom Sauce, Grilled Zucchini and Roasted Potatoes. This is very similar to the steak meal I posted here, except the mushroom sauce I made this time had no wine and was made much more indulgently with double cream and more butter. Everything tastes better with more butter!! - blissfully sinful :-)

I have learned a trick to making the most magical roasted potatoes. Firstly, the best potatoes are 'desire', secondly, using goose fat is amazing for flavour! Heat the fat to be very hot before adding the potatoes. But the third trick which adds the most amazing crunch, I saw it on Nigella Lawson's Christmas show... coat the potatoes with semolina flour. It really does make a huge difference!

And finally, for dessert I created a beautiful Blackberry and Mascarpone Tower.

I used a bottomless ring lined with baking paper to form the tart.

I had some shortbread cookies left and some lady fingers. I crushed these together and mixed with some melted butter to make the tower's crust base.

The next layer was some slightly mashed blackberries and honey.

The top layer was a mixture of 3/4 mascarpone, 1/4 lemon curd yoghurt and half a tsp of vanilla extract.

I placed it into the fridge for an hour then removed the ring and baking paper to dig in!! OMG! Yum!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL!