Chorizoes with Steamed Vegetables

Chorizoes with Steamed Vegetables

Sataran   4:56 PM

Since I'm on a fairly restrictive diet, I avoid gluten grains, dairy, nightshade vegetables, legumes, soy, and nuts. But processed meats have been my one weakness. In particular, I haven't been able to rid myself of chorizoes -- especially Premio's chorizoes available at ShopRite, a supermarket chain in the Northeast. These chorizoes have corn syrup, maltodextrin, red pepper, and paprika. In other words, artificial ingredients (horreurs) and nightshade spices.

However, I don't seem to react badly to these. Perhaps the small dose is hormetic. So I've been making these Spanish sausages a treat once a week. They're incredibly tasty when cooked just right in an electric oven.

I usually cook at 350F for 10 minutes. Then I split them open, spread them out and cook for 15 minutes more at 350F. Flip them over and cook another 15 minutes. I like my pork well-done (and they should be well-done, a la PHD). So I don't mind the overcooked texture and slight burntmarks from broiling in my electric oven for 40 minutes. Spray some thyme, ginger and garlic powder and eat with your steamed vegetables. Goes well with steamed broccoli, French green beans and yuca.

Or, try with boiled red cabbage and collard greens. Always served with herbs as seasoning and a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar.

Wash it all down with a cup of Dragon Well green tea.

My First Grass-Fed T-Bone Steak

My First Grass-Fed T-Bone Steak

Sataran   4:48 PM

This T-bone steak I ordered from Slanker's has been sitting in my freezer for a while. I bought it as part of a bulk shipment 3 months ago. By weight, most of the shipment was beef marrow bones and knuckles. These I consumed rather quickly, within a month, since I make my bone broth soup every week (to make a week's worth of bone broth, I go through 3 lbs. of marrow bones). I also went through other cuts quickly, since they were smaller, boneless steaks. The T-bone I left to savor for later.

Slanker's recommends no more than "medium rare" for the bone-in "Supersteak." Supposedly, the bone conducts heat, so it shouldn't take as long as the boneless. Well, I prefer my steak "well done". So I set my electric oven to 275F on one side for 15 minutes, then flipped over and broiled for another 15-20 minutes at 250F, having sprayed herbs and spices. This is the doneness I prefer, although I'm beginning to like "medium rare" for the boneless portions. For exmaple, these Australian free-range cuts I buy from ShopRite, I cook to medium rare without exception.

Here it is, "well done" with garlic powder, ginger and Rosemary. I know, looks charred but this is my first T-bone. "Medium rare" shall become an acquired taste soon enough.

Pretty good. At $14 bux per pound, the T-bone seems much too expensive. It's probably more expensive than the ribeye or porterhouse (or even tenderloin filets), since the bone is included. 15 minutes later.

And then pure, decadent bliss: coffee with unsweetened cocoa and coconut milk. Some cinnamon and Truvia (erythritol) added. Honestly, can't tell which I like more: the coffee or the T-bone.