Grilling with Airfryer

We've had an airfryer for a little while now. Like most of the people, we've started with fries and nuggets, but the more we used the device, the more adventurous / brave we've become. After roughly a year, we now cook dishes a bit more complicated like cakes, fishes or eggs. One of the challenge has been to master the beef cooking. While it doesn't replace the real grill / barbecue - mainly for that smoky charcoal flavor - it adds a different way of cooking. The one bonus we have with our airfryer model when it comes to cook meat, is that it's equiped with a meat thermometer and a phone app with lots of options for a precise cooking.

So, here we have a piece of Atria premium marbled beef, who apparently was voted World's Best Steak in 2019. Truth to be told, this cut is among the very best money can buy. Incredibly soft and tender, almost like having a piece of grilled butter in the mouth. (the bottle of Ribera del Duero has been bought online in Spain, like most of our spanish wines)

This piece of beef of approx. 800gr. is wrapped with bacon to prevent the extremities to dry up. The bacon slices keep the meat moist and juicy during the cooking.

A probe is inserted in the meat. As we want our beef rare, the target to reach is 54° at the heart of the piece. The cooking duration is roughly 35-40min.

After the cooking is done, the beef is rested for 10min. before carving.

The result is a beef beautifully cooked, red and juicy. It is served with a creamy Roquefort sauce, and a courgettes fricassee.

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The Prisoner

 among the greatest opening credits in the history of tv series (short + long versions)

It's Christmas again

Music is life

on food detox til spring, so instead we feed our ears...

ADANI & WOLF song for life (Extended DZ Version) 

Nostradamus

We spent the whole of last week in Paris, mainly for the January sales, but also to visit museums like the Louvre, the Grand Palais, and of course, the newly partially rebuilt and renovated Cathédrale Notre-Dame. We were there during sunday morning mass - and yes, you can visit during masses; always has been like that as long as I remember. The grandeur of the place, the choir singing wonderful hymns, and the rich history, make Cathédrale Notre-Dame more than a simple visit: a spiritual experience, even if you're not a believer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris

Hyvää Joulua

 

Itsenäisyyspäivä the french way

The finnish Independance Day (december 6) deserve something special for dinner, to celebrate the event properly. And so we made a veal entrecôte "à la normande" (the Normandy way). The entrecôtes are seared a couples minutes each side, and flambé with calvados (apple brandy). Once it's done, put the meat on the side, and deglaze the pan with a glass of dry french cider (from Normandy or Brittany, depending on what you can find in shops). Add a bit of veal stock, let reduce the liquid for a few minutes, then add a few spoons of thick cream (like crème fraiche), salt & pepper, and put the entrecôtes back in the sauce to finish the cooking. The meat should be pink, and soft when touched with a finger. During this time, cut in slices or cubes a few acidic apples (like granny smith), and gently roast them in butter, add a bit of black pepper and a pinch a caster sugar until almost soft. They should have a bit of crunchiness left in them. Dress the plate sauce first, then the meat, and finally the apples on top. Serve with a light red from the Loire valley, or why not a chilled bottle of cider. Delish.

Almost Fisherman's pies

Take small ovenproof dishes, and fill them with whatever fishes or shellfishes you fancy. In our case it's cod, prawns and butter pan fried button mushrooms...

... then cover the mix with a creamy sauce made of fish stock, milk, cream, bit of flour, butter, dill and a bit of lemon juice. Now - and this is the critical moment - if you want to make a classic english Fisherman's pie, you add a layer of mash potatoes on top of the sauce.

15-20 min. in the oven at 175, and it's ready to serve. In our case, these fish pies were meant as a starter. For a main, the real Fisherman's pie is ideal. Don't forget a pint of ale.