Marinated Flank Steak: Korean Style

The flank steak is very flavourful and can be quite tender if prepared and cooked properly. It also has the benefit of being about half the price of a New York strip. The flank steak should be marinated to break down the connective tissue. By using a vacuum container, you can significantly reduce the marinating time and generate great flavour. Creating a vacuum opens the pores of the meat and allows the Korean style marinade in this recipe to penetrate the meat more deeply and quickly, while the acid from the vinegars tenderizes the meat.

The Ingredients: Korean Style Marinated Flank Steak

Serves 2-3 people, prep time 5 minutes, marinade time 2-4 hours, cook time 7 minutes, rest time 5 minutes

Marinade:
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
¼ cup roasted sesame seed oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 medium sized cloves of garlic minced
3 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
½ tsp of crushed chili flakes

1½ lbs of flank steak
1 tsp of fine sea salt
1 tsp of fresh ground pepper

Combine the brown sugar, garlic, ginger and chili flakes in a bowl. Rub the mixture into flank steak.

Place the steak in a vacuum container.

Pour the soy sauce, mirin and roasted sesame seed oil over the steak. If the steak is not completely covered by the marinade you can add more liquid in the same ratio.

Pump the air out of the vacuum container and place it in the fridge for one to three hours. Remove the steak from the fridge one hour before you are ready to cook. The steak should be grilled at room temperature to ensure it’s evenly cooked and tender.

Ten minutes before cooking, remove the steak from the marinade and sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides.


BBQ Method:

Turn on your BBQ to high heat, close the lid and allow it to heat up. The BBQ should be 500-600 degrees before grilling the steak.

Place the steak over the flame, close the lid and do not touch.

After 3 1/2 minutes flip the steak and close the lid once again.

Wait another 3 ½ minutes and remove the steak from the BBQ. It is not recommended to cook flank steak much more than medium-rare or it will become tough and chewy.

Place the steak on a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

When slicing a flank steak always cut thin slices on a diagonal against the grain to ensure tender bites. Serve with rice and salad, and enjoy!

Stove Method:

Turn on the oven broiler to 500 degrees (or high). Heat a large oven safe pan over the stove top on high heat for about 5 minutes (the pan should be as hot as it can get).

When you place the steak in the pan it should sear immediately (make sure you have the exhaust fan on as it will probably smoke).

After 30 seconds, flip the steak and sear for another 30 seconds.

Place the pan in the oven directly under the broiler for 3 minutes.

Remove the pan, flip the steak and return the steak to the oven for another 3 minutes. It is not recommended to cook flank steak much more than medium-rare or it will become tough and chewy.

Place the steak on a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil for 5 minutes.

When slicing a flank steak always cut thin slices on a diagonal against the grain to ensure tender bites. Serve with rice, salad and enjoy!


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Tomato Soup with Roasted Paprika, Balsamic and Basil

This savory tomato soup recipe is the answer to a quick dinner on a cold winter night. Reach into the pantry to use tomatoes canned at their peak ripeness to provide a rich flavour base. With a perfect balance of smoky sweetness and acidity, this soup is a great way to highlight your tomato harvest. If you don’t have home canned tomatoes, good quality store bought canned tomatoes will do.

The Ingredients: Tomato Soup with Roasted Paprika, Balsamic & Basil

Serves 4, prep time 5 minutes, cooking time 25 minutes

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
4 medium shallots diced
3 tbsp roasted paprika
½ tsp of cayenne
4 cups tomato puree
4 cups of chicken stock
4 tbsp freshly chopped basil
4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
Aged cheddar cheese (optional)

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat for one minute. Add the olive oil and shallots and stir for about three minutes.

Add the garlic and continue stirring for another minute until the shallots are soft and translucent.

Add the roasted paprika and cayenne. The spices can burn quite easily, hence stir consistently for about 30 seconds.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomato puree. Continue cooking for about four minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken stock, balsamic, basil, brown sugar and salt. Bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally, and reduce heat to medium-low.

Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes to let the flavours meld.

Just before serving, strain the soup through a fine sieve to ensure a beautifully smooth consistency. Shave some aged cheddar cheese on top and sprinkle with fresh basil.



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Fluffy Chocolate Cheesecake

This cheesecake has a soft, cotton-like texture that contrasts the traditional dense and heavy New York style cheesecake, but maintains that delectable cream cheese flavour. Cheesecake is a beautiful dessert but is often too delicate to transfer from a baking dish to the serving plate. Using the Cake Pan with Ceramic Serving Plate, this sumptuous cake can go from the oven to the table without a problem. For something even more decadent, add chocolate.

The Ingredients: Fluffy Chocolate Cheesecake

Serves 12, prep time 30 minutes, cooking time 1 hour 15 minutes, cooling time 1-2 hours

Crust:
1 1/2 cups of chocolate graham crackers crumbs
¼ cup of melted butter
¼ cup of brown sugar

Cheesecake:
¼ cup of butter
¼ cup of whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
7 ounces of cream cheese (200 grams)
6 eggs, separated
½ cup of cake flour
4 tbsp of cornstarch
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
½ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup of sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

To make the crust, melt the butter in a small saucepan and combine with cookie crumbs and brown sugar. Mix the crust with your hands to ensure an even consistency.

Spread the crumbs evenly across the bottom of the cake pan, and with your fingertips, firmly press the crust down.

Bake for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
In preparation for the cake, fill a roasting pan half way with warm water and place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Place the rack for the cheesecake above the roasting pan. This helps prevent the top of the cake from cracking while baking.

To make the cheesecake, melt the butter in a large bowl over a double boiler. Once the butter is melted, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and cream cheese until the mixture is smooth.

If the mixture is still warm, place the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes until it has cooled.

Whisk the egg yolks into the cooled mixture.

Combine the cornstarch, flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl and sift into the mixture. Mix until it is a smooth consistency and set the bowl aside.

In another large bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. Whip the egg whites until they are frothy but not stiff (they should not hold their shape).

Add the sugar and continue blending the mixture until soft peaks form.

Combine the content of the bowls and fold together until the cake mix is uniform, trying not to over mix.

Grease the side of the cake pan with butter. Pour the cake mix over the crust in the cake pan and give it a little jiggle until the top is even.

Place the cake in the oven on the rack just above the roasting pan and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remember not to open the door while it is baking as this could cause the cake to fall. When finished, turn off the heat and leave the cake inside without opening the door. After 15 minutes, open the oven door slightly and leave the cake inside the oven for another 45 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and bring it to room temperature before serving. However, this cake also works well chilled overnight and served cold.

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Chocolate Crinkles

I had never made chocolate crinkles before (or really heard of them) until I came across them in another food blog of holiday baking. I thought they looked like a lot of fun! The first batch of crinkles I made, I used milk chocolate (I always use milk chocolate, as I am a bit of an addict), but the results were definitely not as rich and moist as I would like. I made a few more adaptations, including replacing some of the flour with cocoa powder, and these ones are great!

The Recipe: Chocolate Crinkles

makes 40, prep time 25 minutes, cook time 8 minutes, time to completion 4 hours

3 1/2 ounces (200 grams) of bittersweet chocolate (71% percent)
1/2 cup of sweet butter
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs at room temperature (place an bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes if you forget to take the eggs out of the fridge)
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 3/4 cups of flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 tsp finely ground sea salt
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup of icing sugar

Melt the chocolate and butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Add the vanilla after the chocolate and butter are melted.

In a mixing bowl add the white sugar, brown sugar and eggs. Beat the mixture, on high, with an electric mixer for about 10 minutes, until it runs off the beater in a nice thick ribbon.

Continue mixing on low while adding the melted chocolate mixture.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sea salt and baking powder. Sift and gently fold into the previous mixture about 1/4 cup at a time. This will take some work but it is worth it!

Once the crinkle mixture is uniform, place it in the fridge.

After 3 hours remove the crinkles from the fridge and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Using your hands make balls about 1 inch in diameter and squish them slightly.

Roll the balls in the icing sugar until generously coated and no chocolate is showing.

Cook on a cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Do not over cook the crinkles as they will lose a lot of moisture and delicate texture if over cooked. Transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy! These are the best right out of the oven!

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Gingerbread Cookies

The Christmas baking season is not complete without Gingerbread and with kids and a wife, there was no escaping! I have avoided the making of a Gingerbread house to date but I am not sure I will be able hold out. Next year fore sure....

Any who...I don't like my Gingerbread to be too strong or too hard, hence I reduce the molasses a bit, and use egg yolks to give them a little extra richness. Benny was a big fan this year and helped us decorate them with a little royal icing (1 egg white, 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1 cup of icing sugar - whip eggs and tartar till frothy, add sugar and beat until medium peaks) and red smarties.

The Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies

makes 24 (medium sized men), prep time 25 minutes, cook time 12 minutes

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks (reserve the white for royal icing)
1/32 cup of molasses
2 1/2 cups of flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt
1 tsp powder ginger
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, whip the butter until smooth and creamy with an electric mixer.

Add the brown sugar, egg yolks, and molasses one at time. Continue mixing after each is added until mixture is smooth again.

Combine the flour, sea salt, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and sift into the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth, the easiest way is with your hands.

With a floured rolling pin, on a well flour surface, roll the dough until about a 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut out your shapes and transfer to a cookie sheet (as always I prefer using clay of silpat to prevent the bottoms from burning).

Cook for 12 minutes, remove and let cool before decorating!

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The Best Rumballs

Calling these the "Best Rum balls" is a personal opinion, and in all honesty I haven't eaten a tone of Rum Balls. What I do know is that these are great! Before this recipe I only made Rum Balls because my wife forced me to for the holiday season, hence I was out to make something with the concept of a Rum Ball but much more to my liking. This meant, a little less rum (let's face it, if you want to get drunk, Rum Balls are not going to do it for you, hence you just want the flavour from the rum and you do not want the rum to overpower the dessert), a more delectable chocolate component (stolen from a truffle centre) and a little spice to play off the rum. These are definitely in the Christmas baking line up from here on.

The Recipe: The Best Rum Ball

Makes 24, total time 45 minutes

pinch of finely ground sea salt
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (double if not adding the nuts)
1 cup of roasted almond crumbs (1 1/2 cups if starting with raw whole almonds, see below)
3 ounces of milk chocolate
2 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of heavy cream
3 tbsp of dark rum
pinch of cayenne (not too much, we don’t want heat, we are just adding it to punch the flavours with the sea salt as these are always served cold)
1/4 tsp of fresh ground nutmeg
1 tbsp of corn syrup

4 tbsp of icing sugar or cocoa powder for coating the outsides of the Rum Balls

To roast the almonds, add about 1 1/2 cups of raw almonds to a cookie sheet and place in the oven for about 8 minutes at 350 degrees. When they are done the inside will be a darker brown, but the outside should not have burnt.

Place the cooled almonds in your food processor and buzz them until the size of large bread crumbs. Careful you do not buzz them too much or they will make a paste.

Combine the almonds, graham cracker crumbs and sea salt in a mixing bowl.

In a sauce pan, melt the chocolate and butter over very low heat while stirring. Remove the pan from the heat just before it is melted and continue stirring until completely melted.

Stir in the cream, rum, corn syrup, cayenne and nutmeg.

Add the chocolate mixture to the mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Place the mixture in the fridge for about ten minutes if it is too mucky to form balls.

Using your hands roll balls about the 3/4 of an inch high. Roll the ball in a dish of either cocoa powder or icing sugar.

Place in the freezer and enjoy directly out of freezer! These will get better with time if you can wait long enough.

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Blondie Train Cake

Although these blondies can be made without the train mould, the mould adds a lot of fun and a gourmet feel to a pretty easy recipe. Using a blondie recipe instead of a cake recipe for the train mould also gives you the benefit of not having to use icing, so you retain the details of the train.

The Ingredients: Blondie Train Cake with Chocolate Chunks

Serves about 18, prep time 10 minutes, cook time 25 minutes

2 cups of flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp finely ground sea salt
½ cup of butter at room temperature
¾ cup of sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 milk chocolate bar (100 grams) coarsely chopped
Icing sugar (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and butter. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Continue to blend while adding each egg.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Sift into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Add the milk chocolate and stir in evenly.

Grease the train mould with butter using a paper towel to get all the details and gently dust with flour using a sifter or sieve.

Add the mixture to one train car at a time and fill each car about ¾ high. This batter should make enough for the entire train; however make sure you fill the engine and caboose first just in case you do not have enough batter!

Bake for 25 minutes, remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. With a long knife, gently trim any blondie that has risen higher than the train mould.

Place a cutting board or cookie sheet on top of the mould and carefully flip the mould over. Each train should come out quite easily!

For a neat winter effect, dust with icing sugar — put about 3 tbsp of icing sugar in a fine sieve and tap while holding the sieve over the train.

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