HOW TO CUT ONIONS
Positioning an onion correctly makes it easier to prepare, and positioning requires you understand the parts of the onion. The most important reference point is the root end: On the other side of the onion root is the onion top, and the line between those is called the axis. The axis represents the direction that the onion layers grow in.
Roots intact: The crux of dicing lies in one detail--leaving the root end intact. If you slice through most of the onion and leave the root end intact, the root end will hold together the rest of the onion as it's sliced and diced.
ALL ABOUT BEEF
TYPES OF FEED
Grass fed beef:
Fed on grass or pasture, Young animals are usually used and the animal needs electrical stimulation after slaughter to promote tenderness.
Grain fed beef:
The animals are fed on a nutritious high energy diet which produces a well marbled meat. Mainly used for export.
Lot Fed Beef:
The animals are fed on grain for a minimum of 100 days. The animals are usually kept in large feeding pens so the meat is less expensive than grass and grain fed meat.
Aged Beef:
Ageing of beef is where the meat is stored for up to 21 days at 1°C so that the enzymes in the meat start to break down the connective tissue, making the meat more tender. This process of ageing meat also increases the flavour of the meat due to the 10 - 20% shrinkage that occurs, intensifying the meats natural flavour. This is also reflected in the increased cost of the meat.
Restaurant cuts of Beef:
Sirloin:
- Entrecote
- Minute
- Double
- Rump Steak
- T-Bone
Fillet Steak:
- Chateaubriand
- Tournedoes
- Medallions
- Porter House
HOW TO COOK STEAK
Method
Step 1: Season meat and drizzle a bit of oil
Step 2: Heat up a frying pan until hot. Place meat in hot pan and cook on one side for 2 minutes repeat on the other side of meat. Cook to medium rare (or see below)
Step 3: Place steak in roasting tray and cover with aluminium foil to rest before serving. Serve steak with sun dried tomatoes couscous and herb butter
∗ ∗ Every steak must rest for approximately half of the time it is been cooked ∗ ∗
Medium - Rare:
Cook for a few minutes per side. Turn once only. Cook until steak feels ‘very soft’ with your finger.
Rare:
Cook on one side until moisture is visible on top surface. Turn once only. Cook until steak feels ‘soft’ with your finger.
Well-done:
Cook on one side until moisture is pooling on one surface. Turn once
only.
Cook until steak feels ‘springy’ with your finger.
Medium:
Cook on one side until moisture is pooling one surface. Turn and cook until moisture is pooling on second surface. Cook until steak feels ‘firm’ with your finger.