dinner in 20 minutes

It's Thursday and I'm tired. It's been a very long week and it's still not over. Dinner tonight had to be quick, nutritious, sweet, spicy and crunchy. This sweet and spicy steak sandwich fit those desires. An ice cold beer to wash it down helped to make the day's craziness just melt away. Wholesome food doesn't have to be boring or laborious to make. This little gem took me 20 minutes, even if I was grilling in the rain. It's also a great recipe for one or two people because not everyone is feeding a tribe.

sweet and spicy steak sandwich

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons peanut (or canola) oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon siracha sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

8 to 12 oz (250 to 375g) New York strip loin steak, thinly sliced against the grain

1 small carrot, peeled into strips

6 long thin cucumber slices

4 red onion slices, separated

cilantro (coriander) sprigs

1 baguette

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Combine sugar, peanut oil, vinegar, water, siracha sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce in a small bowl. Transfer half of mixture to a separate small bowl; stir in steak. Cook steak slices on hot grill pan 1 minute per side or until cooked to your liking; set aside.

Add carrot, cucumber, onion and cilantro to reserved sauce; stir to combine. Cut baguette in half crossways. Split each half almost all the way through. Spread with mayonnaise. Fill will steak and carrot salad. Serves 2. 

roasted parmesan kale

During the juicing kick I'm on I noticed one doesn't get much juice from kale. So I roasted what I had left. I hadn't eaten roasted kale for ages so it was a nice treat. It is one of those virtuous snacks, it's crisp, so I almost feel like I'm eating potato chips but it doesn't have all the starch and fat. Unfortunately, like potato chips, roasted kale goes really great with beer. If you've never had it, kale, not beer, seriously consider making some. It's quite remarkable how crunchy those plastic-like leaves get and how the flavor changes. Even one of my hairless puppies loves this recipe.

roasted parmesan kale

2 bunches kale, trimmed

1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).  Grease 2 baking sheets. Arrange kale in single layer on baking sheets. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and cheese. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp. Let cool on trays before removing to serving bowl. Serves 2 to 4. 

orange and carrot juice concoction

I call these "concoctions" because you can put almost anything in a juice and some of the flavors are hidden by the other ingredients, making it more palatable for me.  I make juice every day and some are juices are better than others. This one was tasty so I wanted to share it. It was sweet and frothy thanks to the oranges, kind of like an orange julius. Don't turn your nose up at the combination of ingredients, like I said, you wouldn't know of half the stuff that's in there. I always feel very virtuous after I have consumed my juice mid morning. If I can get that and a workout in then all feels good with the world and I know I've done something good for my bod.

orange and carrot juice concoction    

1 cucumber, halved

2 large oranges, peeled

1 apple, quartered

3 celery stalks

1 cup cherry tomatoes

4 carrots, trimmed

Using a juice extractor, press ingredients through extractor in order given; stir. Makes 3 cups/750ml. 

roasted tomato and arugula salad

I'm fussy when it comes to tomatoes. What are those nasty pale pink, floury things found on most burgers and sandwiches when you're eating out? They're awful and I'll always pick them of what I'm eating and curse the fact that a chef who should of known better uses them. If you eat at my house, I promise I will never serve tomatoes like that. I might serve you slow roasted tomatoes that have caramelized and intensified in flavor then marinated in sweet balsamic. Add some crusty bread, a chunk of Parmigana Reggiano and a crisp white vino and we can sit and chill away the hours - we'll need more than one bottle though. I might also make this simple little salad for us to enjoy. Simplicity at its finest.

wasabi sesame candied bacon

Be warned, this is addictive...

candied wasabi sesame bacon

3 tablespoons wasabi paste

1 lb (500g) package sliced bacon

1 cup maple syrup

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Heat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease wire racks and place on baking sheets.

Brush wasabi on each bacon slice. Dip each bacon slice in maple syrup then sprinkle liberally with brown sugar. Arrange in single layer on wire racks. Bake for 34 to 45 minutes or until browned and candied.

Sprinkle hot bacon with sesame seeds. Cool on racks. Makes about  10 pieces.

Lovoni's family corn pudding

I wish I could take credit for this incredibly simple recipe but I can't. My family has been making it since I can remember. It's made at every barbecue we have, every Christmas celebration and my birthday. Now living in Canada and the US, I make it also for Thanksgiving. For those that know me well enough, you'll know I rarely use canned veggies in my cooking. This is an exception. It's the perfect barbie food because it can be mixed up ahead of time, put in the oven and not thought about until the timer goes off and I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like corn. I couldn't tell you have many times I've given this recipe to people or how many times I've made it. Shudder to think how many times I've eaten it. I can just eat it by itself, especially cold, but my favourite way to eat it is with grilled chicken, a loaded baked potato and steamed green beans. Be still my beating heart.

original photo before Lovoni messed with it was by Bruce Nimmer Photography

Lovoni’s family corn pudding

14 oz (398ml) can corn, drained

14 oz (398ml) can creamed corn

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup cornflake crumbs

1 egg

salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 6 baking dish.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Scrape into prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and set. Serves 4.

Lovoni's hot pink juice concoction

Juicing isn't for everyone. Quite frankly it's a pain in the ass. Washing all your veggies, juicing them and cleaning the frigging juice extractor thingy is time consuming. Like good sex and exercising, the health benefits are great and once you've done it a few times you get more proficient at it. People have commented to me why not eat the veggies and fruit instead of juicing them. Well look at the recipe, I don't know about you but I couldn't eat all of that in one sitting. Juicing gives you a big hit of nutrients that passes into your system fast letting you utilize the vitamins. I also eat fruits and veggies. It's all about balance, right? Beets are a powerful antioxidant and can make your pee bright pink so don't be alarmed and think you're bleeding internally. If you don't like them leave them out, I know they can have that dirt-like taste but I keep them because of their health benefits. And we can all do with a good detox I'm sure.

Lovoni’s hot pink juice concoction

1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and quartered

1 lemon, peeled

4 tomatoes, halved

1 apple, halved

2 handfuls spinach leaves

1 large beet (beetroot), trimmed and quartered

3 celery stalks

3 large carrots, trimmed

Using a juice extractor press ingredients through extractor in order given; stir. Makes 3 cups/750ml.

 

Photo by Cory Howe Photography