Steak with Mushroom Sauce and Potatoes

Back in the kitchen again. Can you believe my friend let me cook in his kitchen. Not only that his mum let me use all the good pots and knives that even he isn't allowed to use. Todays dish was a delicious rump steak covered in mushroom sauce with roast potatoes.

The Potatoes

These take the longest to make. Wash potatoes first then boil until soft, like really soft to the point the skin peels. Put on a baking tray and drizzle with oil. Add a sprinkle of rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and rub it in...thats right, get those hands dirty and let it bake until it starts to crisp.

The Steak

Need a hot pan and add oil. It doesn't need oil, but we need that for later ;) Test with a chop stick for the sizzle...then add the steak. Let the blood rise to the top, turn it over and wait for it to reach a firm consistency. Take the steak off and place on a plate for a minute. Watch out for the oil! After one minute place back in the pan and sprinkle a dash of rosemary over the top and wait for your preferred style. We went for a medium rare, so it wasn't on for long.

The Sauce

Using the residue from the steak, add a diced onion. I got shown a technique to ensure i have eight fingers and two thumbs after chopping, that is to pinch with the tips of your fingers so they curl in. It worked for me, so I might keep it up. Mix in the onion until it browns. Add a decent amount of thick cream and stir through. Add as much sliced mushroom as you can fit in the pan and let simmer with occasional stirring.

The Review

This was a fun dish to make. Using the juices from the steak really made the sauce. Rosemary and thyme made a huge difference. The potatoes were fantastic. I wondered if I could use the base of the mushroom sauce for another sauce. You would only need to change the last ingredient. Any suggestions?

I want to make steak a signature dish of mine. With so many cuts and sauces I will have my hands full, my tummy too =P

If anyone has any suggestions, recipes or wants to experience "Cooking with Wayne" let me know.

Lessons of the day:

Use a sharp knife to slice onions in order to stop bruising and the tears
Watch a pot of boiling water, evaporation can be very quick
Adding herbs and spices make an ordinary meal great
Let steak breath

Moto of the day:
Fresh is best

Valentines Day

Yay, woo hoo, Valentines day, I have been looking forward to it so much. I almost forgot it, but thank you to all the stores for advertising it and thrusting guilt onto passers by for not spending up big on that significant other and for rubbing it in to those that are trying to go about there lives who don't.

I met up with my mate Tam. We were going to go see a movie, Jumper, but ended up having dinner with some of his friends, followed by Max Brenner aka the fat house! Tam decided to order a chocolate pizza, that i agreed to 'help' him out with. By the time we finished eating and drinking all the chocolate our tummy's could handle it was time to roll each other out of the store.

About to head home and i blew the fan off my engine, which proceeded to take out my radiator as well. Shakes head. I have spent 2k on it since Christmas, now i expect another 1500-2k to put it back together. Maybe it was my fat ass from eating all that chocolate. I'm having such terrible luck at the moment. Seems like whatever I touch in life crumbles before my eyes. I'm at the point of no surprise. Just keep taking the knocks and pushing through. As long as I can still breath I can make it through whatever challenges life throws at me. Take nothing for granted.

City Festival

I met up with a friend yesterday for dinner in the city having no idea the Chinese new year festival was still going. It just happened to be at the exact corner I told my friend to meet me at. She was late. At least she called me, so that was fine, but I spent one hour watching random fobs singing karaoke to the city. A crowd of a few hundred, but the prize of $200 wasn't the real draw card for some contestants. For one girl declaring she was single had hopes of meeting guys. I suddenly realised I enjoy watching strangers singing and dancing in front of such a big audience. Some were good, some were not. That's where I fit in, knew I shouldn't try, spare everyone's ears. Had I have tried I would have sang in Viet, since that's what I mostly sing, but usually after having a few shots before.

My friend finally came. We ate those crab claws that I love at Asian weddings. They weren't as good, but what can you expect from a roadside store. Finished it off with some delicious dumplings at the Shanghai Dumpling restaurant in Tattersalls Lane off Little Bourke Street. I highly recommend eating there. If you ever need someone to go with you, I'm always happy to escort you there...mmm...dumplings...droolz...

I checked out my apartment today for the first time ever, despite buying it over a year ago. It looks so good there and the view is great. Can see the city off the balcony, fully self contained + lounge/games areas too. I would have liked living in it, but I have to find someone to rent it. Very impressed, I was a little worried but I like what I see. If anyone is interested ask me!! Still wish I lived there. Maybe in another lifetime.

AIRN Weekend

Well it was the first Army weekend of the year, a chance to clear all our admin in preparation for the big year ahead. We kicked it off with a BFA (Basic Fitness Assessment). For me I need 40 push ups, 70 sit ups and run 2.4km in 11.18. I did the mandatory 40 push ups, saving myself for the run, definitely my weakest part, and pushed through 100 sit ups. On the run I ran close to a personal best, 10.27 on an unfamiliar track. I was ecstatic about it. The last time I was close to that time I was 16kg lighter! All my running this year has really been paying off.

Next on the list was an ID card. I have been getting away with my old rank on it for ages and saw an opportunity to change it over without doing all the paperwork that goes with it. The Army loves it's paperwork. After taking the photo and about to walk out the door with my lovely new ID I gave one final check to realise I had been promoted. Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Beales!!! I was so tempted to walk out with a smile on my face, but my conscience got the better of me, so I handed it back in. My commanding officer, a Lieutenant Colonel himself heard about it and 'congratulated' me on my newfound promotion. I can only dream of ever reaching that far.

Medical checkup. Apparently I need to eat more regularly according to the medical staff, which made me feel less guilty when I kept making sauce sandwiches while waiting at the Army hospital. We need to have a dental check up every 5 years. It's due in a year, but we hardly get the opportunity to do it. I tried to have it done the same day but was denied. During my medical I got questioned why I didn't get a check up last year, and was told I need to get one done. I couldn't believe it. My teeth are fine, I look after them, if there's a problem I will check it out myself. I even asked them to give me one, I was there anyway and wanted it but my pleads were overlooked. Army double standards.

I then had to go and do my bi-annual shoot at an indoor simulation range. I shot one of my worst scores ever, 158mm. A pass for the Army is under 200mm, but it use to be under 150mm for infantry, which is what I still aim for, although I'm usually around 110-120mm. I did manage to shoot a 60mm group, which is pretty good.

At the end of the night I felt like going for a run. I headed off not knowing where or how far I was going for, but I ran for an hour, I think about 10kms, insane.

Lots of mandatory lectures aka death by light pro. First up, suicide awareness, how appropriate. Good weekend admin wise, but good to be home.