Anna Getty's Easy Green Organic - Anna Getty [51]
4. Mound the rice on a large serving platter and top with the sausages. Scatter the onion and bell peppers over the top and garnish with the remaining chopped parsley.
paul’s filet mignon with whiskey cream sauce
SERVES 6
I very rarely eat beef but when I do, this is it. My dear Irish friend Paul Barnett learned how to make this steak while working in a French restaurant in Ireland. What sets this dish apart is the pink Himalayan salt used to coat the fillets. While it sounds exotic, the salt is widely available in supermarkets and online. If not available, use another coarse mineral salt. The sauce is similar to the sauce for the classic dish, steak au poivre (“with pepper”). This one is peppery and creamy and oh so good.
Six
6-ounce filet mignons
11/2
tablespoons salt, preferably Himalayan
2
tablespoons crushed peppercorns
1/2
cup Irish whiskey
1/2
cup heavy cream
1. Coat the steaks with the salt and pepper 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Heat a large dry sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the steaks in the hot pan and sear them for 2 minutes. Flip them over and sear the second side for 2 minutes. Continue flipping the steaks over every 2 minutes until cooked to the desired level of doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a serving plate.
3. Carefully pour the whiskey into the pan and ignite it with a match. Be sure to stand back. Once the alcohol has burned off, add the cream and whisk the sauce. When the sauce has browned, pour it over the steaks and serve.
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did you know. . .
Himalayan sea salt is the purest of salts, is uncontaminated by pollutants and toxins, and is rich in 84 minerals (see Resources, page 243).
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did you know...
In 2007 there were 21 major episodes in the United States involving beef products contaminated by E. coli, up from just 6 episodes in 2005. Several factors are thought to explain the dramatic increase: Perhaps a more virulent strain of the bacterium has emerged. Maybe the heat wave in the summer of 2007 increased the stress level of the cows. Or bacteria is getting into the distillers’ grain (a by-product of ethanol production), which is fed to cows. Organic beef cattle are finished on pasture and grass-based forage instead of corn, which reduces stress on the animal and the frequency of E. coli.
Cloning is another issue related to beef. Just think—you might be one of several thousand Americans who have already consumed meat from a cloned cow or bull, or the progeny of a cloned animal. Don’t bother to ask if your meat market is selling products from cloned animals. The odds are they won’t know, since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined there is no need or justification for labeling cloned meat, but the jury is still out on long-term effects of eating meat from cloned animals. The only way to avoid cloned animal products is to look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture organic seal.
Chapter 6
side dishes
Belgian Endive and Fennel Gratin
Sautéed Swiss Chard with Garlic, Raisins, and Pine Nuts
Roasted Baby Beets with Horseradish Cream and Walnuts
Garlicky Baby Bok Choy
Sautéed Baby Squash with Tarragon and Soy Sauce
Maple-Orange Glazed Carrots
Sautéed Fresh Corn with Cilantro and Scallions
John Pepper’s Exotic Green Beans
Balsamic-Broiled Asparagus with Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Baked Purple Cauliflower with Rosemary and Garlic
Sweet Potato Medallions
Sweet Potato Fries and with Maple Barbecue Sauce
Sage Skillet Potatoes
The side dish should complement the main course. While the main course often gets the most attention, the side dish is the supporting player, accenting the main event but holding its own on the plate. Think of the flavors and colors on the plate when choosing a side dish; avoid flavor clashes by choosing one strong flavor or theme to guide the meal.