Stake On Steaks
Since my children started working, eating at home has become less frequent. My blog which started noting recipes has evolved to sharing of food and restaurant experiences, and photography (a hobby I’ve picked up after blogging). Ocassionally, we do eat very late dinners at home when Valerie is in the mood to cook but the meals are limited to simple ones as they (kids) get off work after 10pm. By the time cooking is done and the washing up after, you can be sure they are all tired but contented 😀
Tonight’s home-cooked dinner was a simple affair with some store-bought salads and salmon sashimi as sides to complement the meal. Valerie stir fried a mean squid dish, prepared the garlicky cheese sauce for the steaks from scratch, did an awesome mash and panfried steaks.
Stir-fried Squid with Italian Parsley and Garlic.
Salmon Sashimi bought from supermarket.
Salad bought from supermarket.
Bacon and Chilli Spaghetti with extra minced Garlic and Chilli Padi.
Garlic Cheese Sauce made from scratch, Baby Spinach bought from supermarket, Mash made from scratch and pan-fried Wagyu – all prepared by Valerie.
Cooking as a family is also our bonding time. We exchanged the daily happenings in our lives. Let’s see what we’ve dished out amidst the family gossips.
I present to you my home chef, Valerie’s menu for the night 🙂
Wagyu (和牛 Wagyū, literally Japanese cow) refers to several breeds of cattle, the most famous of which is genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. The meat from such wagyu cattle is known for its marbling characteristics and quality, and demands a high price. In several areas of Japan, beef is shipped with area names. Some examples are Kobe, Mishima, Matsusaka, Ōmi, and Sanda beef.
Wagyu cattle’s genetic predisposition yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef. The increased marbling also increases the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. Info: Wikipedia
Simple seasoning of Olive Oil, Italian Herbs and Salt.
Pan-fry the steak to the doneness you like.
I was salivating as I wait for dinner.
With this sauce done we’re ready to eat!
My steak dinner.
My home chef, Valerie.
Wagyu 和牛
Valerie employs feel instead of proper measurements in her recipes. She’s a natural talent when it comes to cooking and baking. See her Aglio Olio here.
To cook the tomato-based spaghetti we had above, just add one bottle of store-bought Bacon and Chilli Spaghetti Sauce, add extra (½ bulb) of chopped Garlic and minced Chilli Padi (according to your taste).
Steaks were seasoned with Olive Oil, Italian Herbs and Salt just before panfrying to the doneness you like. If you like nutty flavour for your steaks, add a little butter to the oil you are using to pan fry them. See in depth cooking method here.
For the Mash – Boil peeled potatoes till soft, mash roughly with fork and season with Salt, Milk/Cream and Butter, according to taste.
Garlicky Cheese (Steak) Gravy
Ingredients:
5 – 10g Butter
5 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
250ml Milk
Soft Cheese Cubes (Garlic flavoured, we bought Kiri brand)
Sea Salt, to taste (any Salt is fine)
Black Pepper, optional (coarse ground or freshly cracked)
Method:
1. Heat butter in pan and sauté the garlic till they turn opaque (not browned).
2. Add milk and bring to gentle simmering boil.
3. Add the garlic flavoured cream cheese until you achieve the taste and texture you like.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
P.S. The Garlicky Cheese Sauce above is my guess for her sauce as she cooks without recipe. If it turned out awful, it’s my bad 😉
For Mushroom (Steak) Gravy, click here.
When you are running short of time yet want a lovely homecooked dinner, place your stake on steak!
Happy cooking, eating and bonding 🙂
The Bonding Tool 
Sam, that wagyu beef, awesome marbling. It was the first thing I said out loud when I saw the picture. Then I read your description. Sometimes I think you have way better food staples than we do.
What fun yo had with your kids, but eating so late? You must have stayed up all night talking. 😉
Janet, we chat while cooking and watch a movie or short comedy series while eating. After that we clean up, chat a bit more, shower and they would go to bed while I do my blog and surf my social media 😀
haha, same here, I got huge beef envy when I saw the marbling on that meat.
Our wagyu is imported from Australia. I’m sure you are able to get these in NZ 😀
Yep, I also think that cooking together is like quality bonging time!
Sure is 😀
I was starting to wonder if you ever ate at home. 🙂
Love the look of that wagyu beef.
Haha…I would love to (cook and eat at home) but only if there’s someone to eat with 😉
WAH beef I call it…cuz it makes me cry! We don’t find beef like that over here on the west coast of the US. Also loving the squid! One of my favorite dishes, although we usually only find it frozen here.
Such a great pic of you, too! Big smile, big heart!
Squid is also my fav seafood and I order them whenever available eating out. WAH in our language is WHOA! Hahaha, but it can also mean cry 😉 Thanks Laura, big hugsssssss and wishing you a great weekend ahead! 😀
All looked good, especially the spaghetti, comfort food!
It’s crazy how seasonal her cooking is. Once she starts, it’s the same food for the next few times, spaghetti spaghetti spaghetti or steaks steaks steaks. It’s the weekend, and I wonder if she’s gonna cook 😀
MOM THE PHOTO OF ME EATING MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A TROLL hahahahhaha
Nonsense! You looked and look beautiful! 😀
I am jealous!!!! That looks delicious!!! Enjoy 🙂
That really looks delicious, each and everyone of them. hey, Sam, check out my posts for either December and january, I posted photos of the dishes we served for our holiday parties. I’ll come back here and give you the exact link .
Yes please, do give me the exact link, it will be much easier, thanks. I have been having trouble with either my browser or wordpress itself. It keeps “circling/refreshing” it is so hard to like post even some comments I post take ages and those who commented on my previous, unless i go back to double check doesn’t even show up on my admin 😦
What can I say, just yum!
Yumz! 😀