I am grateful everyday that we decided to follow this recipe program. This is how I used to think of steak...you buy one per person for a braai. And that is expensive, so you only do it for every other braai. The braai in between will be boerewors. Cooked on the stove, steak is not always nice, can be tough and that is a waste of money. But now that I have been tossed out of my box, I am seeing steak in a whole new light. One good steak can be shared between three people, making it less of a costly meal, and healthier too because there is less red meat per serving. Last week we grilled soy marinated steak in the griddle pan and sliced up and tossed it over salad. Tonight, the steak was sliced up first, then tossed in a mixture of flour and Woolworths steak seasoning (could not find cajun spice), dry fried in the Family Frying Pan, then thrown into toasted pita bread with lettuce and halved rosa tomatoes. Very tasty! Very healthy.
I did not get to have any because I went out to supper with my dear Irish friend Tracey. This recipe adventure has also made me more aware of what I am eating and more critical of food that is made in restaurants. Thai food is always good in my book. Anything deep fried is just lekker, and I don't do it at home cos its not healthy and I don't like recycling cooking oil, making deep frying very expensive. We went off to the Bangkok Wok because Tuesday is Ladies Night and were guaranteed of a really good meal. And we got one. But I have to beg the question, are we getting value for money in restaurants? I asked for a platter for one which included four or five pieces off the starter menu. It was served on a small plate and half the space was taken up with beautifully prepared vegetable garnishing. It cost around R5 a bite. I do realise that restaurants have overheads to cover and need to make a profit, but there will come a point when the ordinary woman/man in the street is just going to say No! I am not going to pay that much! And I think with the looming electricity price hike and the knock on effects of it, this time will come sooner rather than later, and home entertaining will become more popular.
Which brings me to my final foodie thought for the day. Catered food! This genre (if I may call it that) of food has the widest range of quality amongst all genres (I like this term for this concept actually) of food. I have been surviving an intensive lecture course by an excellent scientist from the Bronx in New York since Monday. The course has been stimulating and enjoyable and punctuated by tea and biscuits served mid-morning. The biscuits look beautiful. Perfectly shaped, a wonderful mix of caramel and chocolate colours, promising delectable flavour. NOT. Some of them score high in looks and equal cardboard box in flavour. A mistake so many people make all over, is limiting the aesthetic appeal of a dish to the visual, neglecting the most important food aesthetic, flavour.
But then there is my favourite catered food. Sandwiches that are served on those thick foil platters when the plastic wrapping has just been removed. OOOh the simple things in life are sometimes the best. Last night Bron and I went off to a Parents Evening thingie at Durban Girls High and they served weak cordial and sarmies. And they used that very dark brown bread and there was a huge variety of fillings. Its at times like this when avarice kicks in and I have to be so self controlled that my eyes wrinkle up. I always think it is fair to have one sandwich from each different filling. But I think people cater for three savouries per head at these functions, so if I have what I want I will be having someone else's serving...not very ladylike.
Today I am going to hunt down chicken mince for the lemony rissoles we were supposed to make on Monday! Here's holding thumbs...
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