Tips for Cooking the Perfect Steak

Steak is considered by most the ultimate dinning treat. However, if you don't know how to cook your steak properly, you are jeopardizing ruining a perfectly good piece of meat. Anyone can eat a steak, but it takes a bit of skill and practice to be able to cook the perfect steak. The following tips will help you learn how to prepare, and cook the perfect steak.

The most important part of cooking steak is the defrosting process. When you put steak in the microwave and hit defrost, you are GOING to ruin your meat. Microwaving meat is never a good idea, so please plan ahead and always take your meat out about 24 hours before you are going to be eating. This way, you know it will be defrosted nicely, with no hidden frozen spots, and you can cook it accordingly.

Next, you want to worry about seasoning your steak. For the best flavor you should season the meat with dry ingredients first. Use a packaged steak spice, or use your imagination and create something new. Also, remember to season both sides. After seasoning the steaks with spices, you can marinade it in your favorite sauces. There are many good bottled marinades you can buy at the local supermarket, or you can look up a recipe and make a delicious one yourself.

After marinating your steak for the desired amount of time, light up the barbeque! After it has been heating for five or ten minutes, make sure you clean it by using a brush. Make sure the barbeque isn't turned up to high, and then place your steak directly on the grill. Close the lid and allow your steak to cook for a while. There is no need to worry about burning them since the lid will prevent flames. Cook two 1 inch thick steaks, for no more than 6 minutes on each side. For 2 inch thick steaks, try 8 minutes on each side. If you follow these instructions, and leave the lid on, the barbeque will begin to smoke when it's time to flip the meat. I also suggest that you get a timer and use it.

Now all you have to do is relax and wait for the steaks to finish cooking. Relax, have a beer or glass of wine, and enjoy the delicious smell of the kind of summer barbeque that makes everyone jealous.

About the Author:
Author Barney Garcia is a proud contributing author and enjoys writing about many different topics. Please visit my web sites @ Great Steak Recipes and BBQ Steak Recipes
Submitted on 2006-11-03
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Cooking Is Easy As Easy Home Cooking

More On Nutrients

Do you know that nutrients are important to us? Nutrients perform specific functions in the nourishment of the body. Right!!!! Of major importance are supplying the body with the necessary calories for energy and ensuring the continuity of the vital functions. Nutrients include protein, carbohydrate, fat, minerals, vitamins and water. So to keep my promises to you, Dr Chef will elaborate more on this issue.

Taste and Aroma: The substances which stimulate the perception of taste and aroma are not vitally necessary from the nutritional standpoint; on the other hand, they are necessary for increasing the appetite and for stimulating the digestive glands.

Fiber is necessary as a preventive measure for a wide range of disease processes.

Diet is the food consumed daily by an individual or group with an emphasis on nutrient content.

Modified diets: Special regimens prescribed as measures for prevention, control and or treatment of certain disease states.

The factors above are important for maintenance of health in the human body. Daily consumption of minimum servings of important food groups and recommended allowances for essential nutrients provides the basis for balance nutrition. Other factors such as food preparation procedures affect the nutritive value of food.

There are lots of supplement food and beverages that we can find everywhere in the market nowadays. It can be found in the form of tablets, tea or coffee, powder or injection (Vitamins). DO make sure that you don’t take unnecessary supplement because this will affect your healthiness.

TIP OF THE DAY

BEAN SPROUT

Normally, bean sprout are easier to be blistered/smelly, so to avoid this, put it in a container soak with water (1kg bean sprout) and add one or two spoonful of vinegar. This will make it last longer and crispy.…….

From the back desk,
Dr. Chef

About the Author:
Dr. Chef, Webmaster for http://www.easy-home-cooking.com .Dr. Chef has been a chef in hotel around the world.From China to India, Middle East to South Africa and Canada to Australia. Now retired as a chef and doing a consultant company in restaurant and hotel business in south East-asia.
This article was posted on November 17, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Spanish Food - How To Make Spicy Gazpacho Soup.

Home-made soups are so good for you - all that nourishing stock and chock-a-block full of vitamins and minerals.

But ... who on earth could face boiling bones for hours on end during the scorching Spanish summer weather, not to mention preparing the soup once the stock is made? I don´t think it would tickle anybody´s fancy to then have to tuck into a piping-hot soup!

For this reason, the Spanish came up with their wonderful, ice-cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully colorful, packed with goodness, cheap and simple to prepare, no cooking and ... most important of all, an absolute delight to drink.

Traditional gazpacho originates from romantic Andalucia - that large, exotic southerly region of Spain which is home to such extensive Arabic influence.

The chilled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and garlic with tomatoes, cucumber and peppers but, nowadays, your electric blender renders this effortless! Olive oil endows it with a smooth, creamy consistency and vinegar adds a refreshing tang - just what you need when life gets too hot to handle!

The spicy soup should be served in true Spanish style with small bowls of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber, onion ... even hard-boiled eggs and croutons, if you feel up to it! Guests will then sprinkle what appeals to them on the soup.

Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based, with most Spanish families having developed their own, unique recipes. However, nowadays, you will also find gazpacho recipes that have nothing to do with tomatoes - white, almond-based gazpachos, fruit-based gazpachos, etc.

Do you suffer from insomnia? Could be that drinking gazpacho is the answer, for in Pedro Almodovar´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde De Un Ataque De Nervios", various characters help themselves to the soup and promptly fall asleep!

However, don´t fall asleep just yet as you haven´t read over the recipe!

Ingrediants for 4 servings:

- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 1 onion
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- ½ cucumber
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g bread
- 3 dessertspoons vinegar
- 8 dessertspoons olive oil
- Water
- Salt/pepper
- ¼ chilli pepper (optional)

Garnishings:

- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ finely chopped onion
- ½ finely chopped red pepper
- ½ finely chopped green pepper
- ½ finely chopped cucumber

Method:

1. Break up bread and soak in water for 30 minutes.

2. Skin tomatoes, remove seeds and stalks from peppers.

3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.

4. Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

5. Place in electric blender.

6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and add to blender.

7. Add oil and vinegar.

8. Blend well.

9. If necessary, add sufficient water for soup-like consistency.

10. Pour into a bowl with ice cubes.

11. Fridge for a couple of hours.

12. Serve in bowls, with garnishings in separate dishes.

Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, looking out onto an azure sea, blue sky and golden sun and sands!

About the author:
Linda Plummer is webmistress of the site: http://www.top-tour-of-spain.com which provides a wide range of information regarding Spain and the Spanish language.
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Oven Roasted Beef Recipe

Prepare a great roast beef is easy, relatively inexpensive, and although may seem intimidating at first, there's little more to it than putting the roast in the oven and pulling it out when it's done.

3 lb Roast beef
3 lb Potatoes
4 oz Mushrooms
3 Carrots
1 oz Butter
1 Onion
2 tbsp Plain Flour
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup stock or dry red wine

Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Cut the carrots and potato into large chunks. Place the roast beef into a large roasting pan, surround with the vegetables. Then, add enough stock or water to fill half the pan. Cover tightly and place in oven, bake for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove ¾ of the juices, place in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Mix the flour and butter to a paste, whisk into the liquid adding the Worcestershire sauce just before serving. Serves 6

About the Author:
Ray Torres is an IT consultant by day and a gourmet aficionado by nigth, and founder of Great Free Online Recipes.com and it's recipes and cooking blog. "A celebration of cooking and great food!"
Article Source: http://www.articles411.com