Mid-Week Dinner: Pork Steaks, Baked Potato & Peas

Thursday nights are and will always be Boys Nights! But here's the thang: I still have to feed my family before I can go anywhere...
I arrive home from the office and immediately pop on my apron and crack a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Ready to cook! Out with the griddle pan, on with the gas. This needs to be a quick dinner - I need to leave. The guys are waiting...

Ingredients:
3x Pork Steaks
Spice (Salt, Paprika, Steak & Chops)
Can of Petit Pois Peas
Knob of Butter
1T Brown Sugar
3x Medium Potatoes
Knorr Garlic Sauce
Beetroot Salad

I must quickly tell you about Knorr's range of instant sauces... these things are wonderful! I particularly like the fact that they have launched a recipe website where all the recipes use Knorr products! Check out http://www.whatsfordinner.co.za. It is simply marvelous!

Method:

The Potatoes
1. Bring the kettle to the boil.
2. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place in a microwave dish.
3. Cover with boiling water and place in the microwave (Yes, I use a microwave!)
4. Cook on High for about 18 to 20 minutes, checking potatoes nearer the end of the cooking time. If fork goes in easily, it is cooked.
5. Drain and set aside.


The Steaks
1. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot.
2. Season the steaks.
3. Fry the steaks.

The Peas
1. Empty contents of tin into a small saucepan.
2. Apply heat and bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat and drain.
4. Add a knob of butter and tablespoon of brown sugar.
5. Put back on heat and dissolve butter & sugar, stirring softly (to not break the peas)

The Sauce
1. Empty contents of packet into a measuring jug.
2. Add 250ml boiling water, stir like crazy.

Plate and Serve, with side order of beetroot salad! ... and then run away to boys night...

Mid-Week Dinner: Steak, Baked Potato & Creamed Spinach

Let me open by apologizing for the lack of blog yesterday. When I got to work yesterday at 6:15am, I hit the ground running! I had all the right intentions: I will get time to blog... I will get time to blog... Clearly, that did not happen.

Driving home, I start thinking of what to make for dinner. I remember that I promised my sister we would come around for coffee AND I promised the guys I would be there for the regular Thursday Boys Night. My thoughts turn to ' What is really quick and easy to make?' due to the obvious time constraints.

After fetching Celine, I pull in at 'my friendly Spar' in Welgelegen. Straight to the meat counter and what do I find: Very well priced, individually packed, vacuum sealed, sirloin steaks. Bought three (around R20 each). Off to the fruit and veg isle. Baby Spinach... Oooh, I'll have some of that. Mushrooms... and that! Dinner starts taking shape in my head!

Ingredients:
3x Sirloin Steaks
Robertson's Steak & Chops Seasoning
Pack of Baby Spinach - roughly chopped
1 Onion (Medium) - diced
1 tub of Cream
1x Punnet of Button Mushrooms - quartered
3x Potatoes (Medium)
Pinch of salt
Dash of Olive Oil
1 t Cornstarch, dissolved in little water

Method:
1. Heat a dash of oil in two small saucepans on your stove / burner.
2. Divide the diced onion evenly between the pans and saute until translucent.

The Spinach
1. Add your spinach and a pinch of salt to the one pan, adding a splash of water to get the steaming process started. Cover with a lid and turn to a medium - low heat, allowing the spinach to wilt. Not longer than 4-5 minutes.
2. Once the spinach has wilted down, add 1/4 tub of cream and bring to a boil.
3. Add 1/2 the cornstarch liquid and allow to heat through (at least 2 minutes). Keep stirring. The sauce with thicken.
4. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and set aside.

The Mushroom Sauce (speedy version - not my famous one)
1. In the other pan, add your mushrooms to the onions. Fry them off for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Add the remaining 3/4 tub of cream and a pinch of salt.
3. Simmer until the cream reduces slightly, about 10 minutes. This needs constant attention as you don't want it to boil up.
4. Add the remaining cornstarch and simmer, stirring until the sauce thickens.
5. Set aside.

The Potatoes
1. Bring the kettle to the boil.
2. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place in a microwave dish.
3. Cover with boiling water and place in the microwave (Yes, I use a microwave!)
4. Cook on High for about 18 to 20 minutes, checking potatoes nearer the end of the cooking time. If fork goes in easily, it is cooked.
5. Drain and set aside.

Frying the Steak
1. Heat a griddle pan until smoking hot.
2. Spice steaks with Steak & Chops Spice (Robertson's). Do not salt.
2. Fry the steaks. These steaks were about an inch thick and we like ours medium rare. Cooking time for this: about 4 minutes per side.

Plate up and serve - refer to picture posted above! That brings me to the wine. Most definitely a Merlot...

Enjoy!