The Resting Period

In your culinary travels, I'm sure you will come across recipes that you find interesting, recipes that call for large cuts of meat that are sliced after the cooking process. This doesn't always mean that you have to cook the meat for longer, to cook it through...because essentially, that idea will leave you with some overcooked pieces, and some undercooked pieces.

Medium Rare

The key to cooking a large piece of meat is the resting period. I will use last night's dinner as an example, since that's what inspired me to write this post in the first place. I made a beef tenderloin recipe from Gordon Ramsay's In The Heat of the Kitchen. My piece of beef weighed about a pound. I put it in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, basting every 7 minutes or so, but when I took it out, it was still pretty soft, rather than springy, which is what I was looking for. I left it in for another 5 minutes and then removed it from the oven.

Now, if I had cut into it right then and there, the middle would have still been bloody. But, I left the meat to REST for 5 minutes, allowing the heat to move through the meat and continue cooking. Now, when I cut into the meat, it was PERFECT. Pink in the middle, not overcooked on the outside - and it was delicious! I mean, seriously delicious!

Medium

It is best not to cut into a piece of meat until you are ready to start serving. Each time you pierce the outer layer, you lose valuable juices and flavors. One trick I learned, thanks to a very cool apron that I bought for my friend for Christmas is this; If you take your hand and touch your thumb to your pointer finger, and then press on the pad of your hand, you will have the feeling of a piece of meat cooked rare. Going down the line, middle finger to thumb should feel like medium rare, ring finger to thumb should feel like medium, and pinky to thumb should feel like well-done (that's too done, if you ask me!). I thought that was a brilliant little tidbit and I have carried it with me. It's easy to remember, that's for sure!

Parsnips: Touting the Unsung Hero of the Root Vegetables

Root vegetables hold a spotlight in winter cooking, but when we think of them...which ones come to mind? Potatoes, of course, and carrots...maybe even celery root and beets. But when you see parsnips in the grocery store, do you grab a bunch? I do, almost always, and I would like to help parsnips win your hearts! :)



Parsnips are related to carrots, hence the resemblance in shape, but they have a sweeter flavor, and get even sweeter once cooked. However, the parsnip is actually richer in vitamins and nutrients than the carrot, boasting 600 mg of potassium per 100 g. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, and 100g only contains 55 calories. (Thanks Wikipedia)

They make a great addition to stews because as parsnips cook, they get soft and partially melt into the cooking liquid, integrating its flavor throughout the dish. In Jamie Oliver's, Dark Sticky Stew, the grated parsnip lends a hand to thickening the base with its sweet and creamy texture. This recipe is a wonderful winter meal that makes for some delicious leftovers as well. They also make a lovely part of roasted root vegetables, a very simple and delicious addition to any meal in the winter months. (If you like Jamie's recipe, check out Jamie's Kitchen - it is one of my all-time favorite cookbooks!)



My favorite way to serve parsnips is parsnip purée! A bit like mashed potatoes, parsnips get extremely creamy as they are puréed, and they make a wonderful addition to a nice beef tenderloin, a chicken breast, or some lamb. For you vegetarians out there, parsnip purée would make a nice bed for a stuffed Portobello Mushroom cap, don't you think? :) Gordon Ramsey (my hero, seriously - he's my IDOL) loves to pair his main courses with parsnip purée, and his recipe for it is, decidedly, my favorite.

Gordon Ramsey's Parsnip Puree

100g butter

4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

100ml heavy cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low heat and cook the parsnips until completely soft and falling apart (about 25 minutes). Add the cream and bring to the boil. Season, then liquidize to a smooth purée. Keep warm.

How delicious does that sound?! Now...go make it, and tell me how delicious it IS! :)

Also, as a side note, I received my copy of the Whole Foods Cookbook that I mentioned in an earlier post. After flipping through it, I'm even more excited to start making some of these recipes, and for all you vegetarians out there - this book is more than 50% vegetarian...PICK IT UP! :)