I've come to another of the 'packet meals' which is actually just a sauce to go with a meal. This time around I've made a simple 'meat and 3 veg' style dinner to go with it. Hope you all enjoy.
The finished product, so I've got a better image next to the post
Ingredients
Steaks on markdown are my favourite thing. Watching the guy put the sticker on them and hand it to you is even better
1 Steak (I've used Oyster Blade)
1 Potato
1/2 Onion, diced
Piece of Jalapeno (I had leftovers)
Asparagus
5 Mushrooms, quartered
1 packet Gravox Diane finishing sauce
It wouldn't be me if there weren't some ingredients that missed the initial ingredients shot...
Oil
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Method
- Put a pot of water on to boil.
- Peel and Chop the Potato. Put them in the water and cover with a lid.
- Boil until the potato is soft and tender, but not falling apart (yeah, I forgot to do things with time, but maybe 10 to 15 minutes?)
I salted the water a bit too, but it's not needed.
- Prepare all the other vegetables
I am getting better at actually doing the prep first. Rather than half way through...
- Melt some **Butter **(1 to 2 tablespoons) in a small frypan. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the Onion and Jalapeno
- Mix well so they're coated in the melted butter and let them slowly cook.
still not coated enough in the butter, but getting there
- Pat dry the Steak with a paper towel
- Oil and season the steak to your liking. I went with a pepper steak thinking to go with the sauce.
Remember to season both sides of the steak
- Heat a large frypan over a high heat
- When the frypan is hot, reduce the heat to medium-high and add the steak to the pan. It should sizzle as soon as it touches the pan
Using all the working elements at once. That doesn't happen very often for me!
- Turn off the potatoes and add the Asparagus to the pot. They'll cook in the still really hot water in the time it takes the steak to cook.
- Add the Mushrooms to the Onion pan, and stir it well to get them buttery.
this was probably nearer the end of the mushroom cook, but you get the idea
- When the steak has been cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, Turn it over. You should be able to see the cooked appearance about half way up the side of the meat.
- Cook the steak for another 2 to 4 minutes depending on how well you like your steak done.
- Remove the steak from the pan to a plate to rest.
- Drain the Potato and Asparagus and add them to the frypan. Reduce the heat to medium.
Aiming for some colour on the potato, and just to cook the asparagus a bit more and not let it go cold.
- Transfer the Steak to a plate. Pour any accumulated juices into the onion pan and mix in.
- Plate the potato and asparagus beside the steak
- Pour the Onion and Mushroom mixture onto the steak
still missing the star of this show...
- Snip the corner of the Packet of sauce and microwave for 40 seconds
- Pour the sauce over everything (or just what you want it on)
So, what were those 3 veggies again?
Thoughts
The potatoes were the best that I've made in a long time. They could have done with a bit longer in the frypan, but they had a crust starting to form, and a super soft interior.
I should have plated the Asparagus the other way up for the photos, but it was pretty tasty anyway
I went a little overboard with the Onion/Mushroom mixture, but that little hit of Jalapeno in it was just what it needed.
The steak was a little over where I'd have liked it, but being that it wasn't the best steak with a few sinew through it, it was better that way. I might have been a bit heavy on the pepper on one side, but not enough that it was a problem.
The sauce itself was ok, but diane has never been my favourite sauce. It was certainly a reasonable version of a diane sauce though. Being past it's best before date didn't seem to harm it's quality.
Previous Packet Meals
Farmhouse Chicken Casserole
Pasta Carbonara
Roast Chicken, Veggies and Gravy
Chicken and Mushroom Risotto
Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella
