Yesterday, after the post office, I went to the grocery store to get eggs, milk, bread and sugar. I ended up also getting a boneless strip steak, because I’ve been wanting to try the trick with the salt, some sweet potatoes and string beans.
I cut the sweet potatoes into wedges, put them in my brownie pan, tossed them with oil, pepper and generous salt, roasting them in a 450 degree preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
I parboiled the string beans, then sauteed them with butter and garlic.
I salted the steak on both sides, rolling the sides in the salt as well, and let it sit for 1/2 hour, as directed. After rinsing and drying the steak well, I got the pan hot with a small bit of oil and some chopped garlic, cooking the steak for 2 minutes on one side and about 1-1/2 minutes on the second side.
After the steak was cooked, the bits in the pan looked so delicious that, while the steak rested, I threw a little bit of vermouth in the pan and then, after that cooked off, i tossed in a spoonful of ketchup in the pan. Chefs do that with tomato paste, don’t they? I let that cook just a minute, because it got pretty thick pretty fast, and put it in a tiny bowl to use for dipping.
What a delicious dinner!
The steak was beautiful. It was a nice red all the way through. I guess the salt tenderizing the steak helps the heat penetrate better because there was no rawness left, as is generally the case when I cook my steak rare.
I guess it wasn’t too salty because I was having to concentrate pretty hard on deciding if I was tasting “salty” — the flavor was bright and cheerful. The sauce was actually pretty tasty though I was really torn about dipping the steak or sweet potatoes in it because they are both so delicious all on their own.
Dinner was so delicious I decided to make dessert. Having a full complement of milk, eggs and sugar, and a fond recent memory of caramel custard, I decided that was the way to go. I made four regular custard cups and one double size. When they were cooked, I plated and ate the double-size.
I have never had caramel custard anywhere as good as this recipe makes. Smooth as silk. My word.
Here’s the recipe:
FLAN aka CARAMEL CUSTARD
HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.
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2-1/2 cups milk, scalded
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup AND 1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash of salt
Dash of ground nutmeg
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Before preparing custard, heat 1/2 cup of sugar in heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and golden brown (takes about 15 minutes, may frighten you at first but it’s okay, just keep going till it’s liquid). Divide syrup between six 6-ounce custard cups (or pour into large custard dish); tilt cups to coat bottoms. Allow syrup to harden in cups about 10 minutes.
Custard: Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Gradually stir in scalded milk. Pour custard mixture into cups (or large custard dish). Place cups into 13x9x2 inch pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan, to within 1/2 inch of tops of cups.
Bake until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Remove cups from water.
To serve, warm or chilled, simply run knife along inside edge of cups, put plate on top of dish, turn upside down. Enjoy!
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