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People are particular about their red meat. Nearly everyone has an unshakeable preference regarding doneness: rare, medium rare, medium, or well done. In meat cookery, seconds and minutes count.
How do you know when a steak is at its moment of perfection?
One method of ascertaining doneness is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted sideways, two inches into the steak. It will read 120°F for rare, 125°F to 130°F for medium rare, 135°F to 140°F for well done. The temperature will continue to rise after the steak is removed from the heat, so it behooves the cook to anticipate any wait and take the meat off the heat a bit early. (This is similar to the rule for baking chewy brownies: take the pan out of the oven about 2 minutes before you think you should.)
The second method is to use direct observation: first cook the steak for 3 or 4 minutes on one side, turn it with tongs to the second side, and after about 4 minutes longer cut into the steak near a bone or at a thick part and check out the amount of pink that shows.
The third method is more intuitive, and does require a good tactile memory. When you think (perhaps by using the other two methods in some combination) that your steak might be done, press the meat firmly with your fingertip. The meat should feel slightly resistant, not soft. The amount of resistance is related to the degree of doneness. Very soft means it’s still raw. Some resistance equals medium rare. Hard as a rock means you just cremated your supper. If your steak is to your liking, remember how it felt. When you get good at this, you will be able to gauge the doneness of your steak simply by touch.
Which method do you think is best? Write to foodfight@ditigalhearth.com and let us know what you think about this or any other cooking controversy.
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The phone rang. I answered. It was my neighbor, but he didn’t recognize my voice. Spring cold, I explained, and went into a bout of coughing that came from way deep down in what my kids used to call the "bronical tubes." Hey, my neighbor said, at least it’s a SPRING cold! Things could be worse.
Well, true. Wasn’t the sun shining and the lawn greening up? The lilac buds are ready to burst, and the robins are setting up housekeeping. And that very day I made a pot of soup that fixed me up. If I had grown up in India instead of Wisconsin, this is what my grandmother would have recommended to cure a cold. Here’s the recipe.
Dal Curry
Dal is simply the Hindi word for lentils or split peas. This bean is called "toovar dal" in Hindi, but you can use yellow split peas. The ginger and turmeric make the legumes more digestible; the onions, garlic, and chiles chase away the cold germs.
1 cup yellow split peas, cleaned and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 serrano chile (or to your taste), seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped
2 cups cooked white rice
flaked coconut and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Combine peas, cayenne, turmeric, and water in a soup pot and bring to a boil. Simmer, partially covered, for about 45 minutes, or until the peas are tender. (If you use real Indian dal, the peas will fall apart and turn to mush.) Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and sauté the chile, ginger, onions, and garlic until soft. Add the coriander, cumin, and tomato and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the tomato mixture to the pea mix and simmer until heated through. To serve, place some rice in a soup bowl and ladle the dal over the top. Garnish with coconut and cilantro and serve. Makes 6 servings.
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