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EDIT - just realized I wrote very rich dishes here and besides the steak and fried rice, they all take a little bit of time. if I'm in a hurry, I'll do some farro/rice/quinoa with spices (alessi is good for this, no additives or processed nonsense, from italy too), grill some veggies, and add marinated grilled chicken if I want or just cube some pancetta and throw on top. I've not ventured into middle eastern or indian or west african cooking so sorry I can't share insights there, but I've been wanting to learn to make some eastern med dishes for a while, maybe this is the year
I love risotto! (Cremini mushrooms are the bomb.) Found it goes really well with rainbow trout or glazed salmon. Mmm
This guy is the grandson-in-law every nonna prays to the saints for
infatti parlavo sulla bisnonna della mia moglie, la nonna è nata in stati uniti, non in Italia
neink
Love the recipes, but I disagree with you about how to prepare the perfect steak. I think you're spot on using a marbled ribeye and love that you go for grass-fed. Personally, I like grass-finished because I think it tastes better. I will admit, it's a matter of preference though. Personally, I will take the steak out and salt it first and let it sit for at least an hour to bring it up to room temp and really let the salt do its work. I don't like letting my steak sit in the fridge unless I am marinating it. Once it's ready, I'll preheat my oven to 400 and heat up either a cast iron pan or a metal sautee pan with at least a 3" sidewall without anything in it at medium-high heat, then add a combination of butter and duck fat and let it melt. I'll throw in 2 heads of garlic, cut in half, and let it cook for a minute before adding my steak. I'll let it sear for ~2 minutes, flip it, then throw it right in the oven to finish. Let it cook for 9-10 minutes, and let it rest. Adjust the cooking time up if you like your steak more on the medium side. Right now, when I have the desire for steak, I'm trying to perfect the pan-basted method.
1a. If you actually want to let the salt do its work, you have to do like brofessor suggested and leave it at least overnight. Salting your steak one hour before cooking is only going to result iin the salt drawing moisture to the steak surface, messing up your ability to get a good sear and reducing the juiciness of the actual meat.
1b. You guys can both skip the tempering (letting the meat sit on the counter) step. It does nothing, and is one of those steak myths, like "searing to seal in the juices".
2. I have become a full convert to the cult of reverse searing. Not at all great if you want a steak PRONTO, but getting the steak up to temp low and slow in the oven (or over low indirect heat on the grill) and then a very quick sear gets it perfect every single time. It's like sous vide without the hassle of setting up the circulator, and also allowing a much better crust.
- Whole Foods Filet Mignon, Bison Filet, Scallops, Seared Tuna Steaks.
- Publix Bourbon Salmon, Brown Sugar Salmon.
- Steamed asparagus then lightly pan fried.
- Steamed broccoli then egg over easy on top and hot sauce.
- Scrambled eggs and fresh spinach and hot sauce.
Chicken and rice with hot sauce
[Arroz con Pollo]
Biryani. Takes time to make properly but I'm having my mom teach me how to make it. Besides that I make ramen.
mind if I ask what variety? I know this is common in afghan, pakistani, and some indian families. I'd love to learn how to make it, looks spectacular
I’m Pakistani but have only had a few types of biryani (there is like 50 versions lol) usually differences come down vegetarian/non-veg and what sort of meat is used and what spices are used. The one my mom makes is very spicy with lots of meat (either mutton or chicken beef is good too) I guess that’s closest to hyderbadi biryani. Again, it’s pretty regional I know families who just do their own thing and you can’t really pinpoint what sort they make,
When I make it myself I just use a pre made spice blend you can find at any Indian supermarket. It’s cheating but I’m not much of a cook, it just steam lines the process and I don’t have to measure the amount of spices I use or anything. In future I’ll make for “real” apparently the most authentic way to make biryani is to not cook the rice and meat separately and then combine but to combine uncooked meat with the rice and make it that way, not skilled enough to do it that way though.
Basic, but I’m having a blast experimenting with all things pasta and tomato-based sauces.
First obstacle to overcome was ragu (bolognese for all you non pasta hardos). The secret is red wine, butter and letting it cook for as long as possible.
Tomato sauces are harder but easier. IMO with ragu you can let the quality of the meat carry the dish. With tomato-based sauced, ingredient ratios matter much more since one wrong move can easily fuck up the taste.
Cottage cheese? I personally like a little sour cream.
Oatmeal bakes - Been eating them recently for breakfast + desert and they're really easy to make and are healthy macro-wise. It's pretty sugary but I'm young so fuck it. I've only made a carrot cake and strawberry cream one. You can add any fruits tho depending on what you enjoy.
Ingredients:
3 cups Oats
2 heaping scoops Vanilla protein powder
A box of Strawberries (fresh)
10 tbsp Egg whites
1 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Sugar (I might try Splenda one of these days)
4 oz Cream Cheese
2 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Baking powder
2 cups whole Milk
Instructions:
1) Cut the strawberries into very thin slices and then add 2 tsp of sugar. Toss it and let it sit for a bit.
2) Mix the oats, baking powder, and protein powder in a large bowl.
3) Add egg whites, butter, milk & maple syrup to the bowl and mix. Throw in around 80% of the strawberries and mix. We're gonna put the last 20% on top of the bake.
4) Oil a large casserole glass bowl and add the mixture. The recipe calls for 13x9 - mine is slightly larger and comes out fine.
5) Mix the 2 tbsp of sugar and cream cheese together. Spread it on top of the mixture along with the last 20% of strawberries.
6) Toss it into the oven at 375 F until it's set. Should take around 30+ minutes.
This comes out to around 6 servings so I eat it in the morning before my workout and at night before I brush my teeth. You could also add some vanilla Greek yogurt on top for some extra protein but I haven't tried it yet.
Got this recipe from Josh Cortis on YouTube. If you want a video version of it feel free to look it up. There's other stuff I'd rather cook and eat like @thebrofessor’s steak but this is the easiest thing I currently enjoy eating everyday.
Expanding a bit, but it relates to the thread. I purchased 6 things as an analyst/associate that were critical to my success:
1) a good mattress. You will get not enough sleep chronically —so make sure the sleep is quality. You also can use your mattress for a decade. Get a several k high-end queen mattress and sleep like a king until you buy a home at like 33 or need a new one for your swanked out apartment.
2) A navy suit and custom/ tailored shirts. You likely are done growing, so much like the mattress, it’s time to have shit that fits well for the next decade. This is more important if you have an untraditional body type (fat, short, skinny, weird arm/lengths, odd stature). This one you could probably wait until your first bonus.
3) A significant supply of hydration packets. Liquid IV, Pedialyte, etc. Have one before going out and after going out and it will help hangovers/ your ability to recover from a night out, so you can model like the good analyst you are.
4) A good Air Fryer. Again, don’t skimp, buy like a large Corsair one that is like over $100 that you can use for years. The name is misleading, all it is is a fast heating convection oven. Don’t think it’s like some weird invention with oil. You can cook chicken, steak, pork chops, fish and all vegetables in a air fryer convection oven in sub 20 minutes without dealing with the smoke of an oven or using a large clumsy oven tray. I’ll explain below some recipes.
5) A rice cooker. Cooking rice is really flipping easy. There also are several different types of rice that can change things up a ton. Arborio rice for risotto, white rice, wild rice, brown rice, quinoa, lentils and more all can be made in a rice cooker by hitting a button and pouring 1 part rice to 2 parts water.
6) Good general cooking equipment. Again, the theme here is don’t be an idiot and skimp. These are investments for the next decade. For me, 1 nonstick saucepan, 1 nonstick frying pan, a good chefs knife, a solid ceramic pairing/ vegetable knife (these are cheap), a heat resistant silicone spatula and some other heat resistant spoons/ spatulas.Everything else you prob could skimp on imo. Like a pot to boil pasta who gives af. But, you are clown if you are scrubbing away or irritated by your dirty pan when you might just have a crap pan.
I could name a few, and maybe I will below that are staples. But one that I cook for my kids that is healthy and simple is:
"Banana pancakes". 1 egg, 1 banana, splash of milk, vanilla extract, tbsp cinnamon, pad of butter.
1) beat the egg
2) mash the banana in the bowl with the egg
3) add cinnamon and vanilla (stir)
4) Butter a pan, cook on medium/low heat for 2-3 minutes a side. (make them silver dollar size)
Roast Chicken:
Ingredients: Roast Chicken, butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, garlic, thyme, white wine(optional).
1) empty chicken cavity, pat chicken dry
2) Salt the cavity with salt and pepper(liberally), Stuff with lemon(halved or quartered), garlic and thyme, and butter.
3) With chicken on roasting pan coat outside with olive oil.
4) Cook at 400 degrees for 1 hour to 1:30, basting every 30 minutes, then 15 minutes. When roasting pan starts to burn a little(or after 45-1hr), add some wine to the pan and continue to baste.
*I do something similar with split chicken breasts when I want to meal prep and eat healthy
Pretty easy and quick, but people are impressed:
Wine-baked Salmon:
get a full salmon side
salt + pepper + garlic, i add cayenne cus i like it hot, drizzle some olive oil on too
lay in tin foil in a high-edged pan (not a baking sheet or you will drip wine in your oven) - foil needs to be 2x as wide as the pan cus you're gonna seal it. spray the tin foil with some olive oil before you set the fish down to prevent sticking too
add a cup or two of white wine into the foil
seal the foil completely - aim is not to let the steam from the wine escape
bake at 350 for 25 minutes
top with pink salt
provides the creamiest, butteriest fish you will ever eat. so delicious
Sounds good
Pasta Pesto Rosso: Get your favorite Pasta and some Pesto Rosso, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and some basil. Simply cook your pasta anda dd the pesto Rosso with some of the noodle water. Then throw in the fresh mozzarella, it should melt real fast then, and your cherry tomatoes. Top with some basil and enjoy it. Quick, easy and delicious!
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