ice cream sundaes with summer fruit coulee

Marinated steaks

1 kg sirloin steak

Remove any moisture from the steak using a paper towel and place the steak in a non reactive bowl just large enough to hold the steak. (You can also marinate the steak in a sealable zip lock bag.)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Kikkoman reduced salt soy sauce
½ tsp hot sauce or more if you like
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine the above together well and pour over the steak. Let the steak sit in the marinade, refrigerated for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove the steak from the pan, discard the marinade (and the bag if you used a zip lock bag) and blot the steak dry with paper towelling.

Heat a grill pan or a BBQ until it is smoking hot and you can only hold your hand over the heat for less than 10 seconds. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Rotate the steak 90° to give it great hash marks. After 2 minutes, flip the steak and repeat the rotating after 2 minutes. Cook the steak for a total of 8 minutes only, then remove from the grill and allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. This will result in a medium steak.

¼ cup softened butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons blue veined cheese, crumbled

Mix the above well together. Place the butter onto a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log. Bring the edges of the plastic wrap up around the butter and seal the ends tightly. Roll the butter to get a nice round shape and refrigerate the butter until it is firm.

Slice the chilled butter into rounds and place over the steak, allowing the butter to melt over the steak.

Sauté of mushrooms

2 cups mixed mushrooms quartered or sliced
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Once the butter has melted add the mushrooms and season well. Sauté just until the mushrooms no longer give off moisture and are golden brown, approximately 6 minutes. Serve hot around the steak.

Caesar Salad

Dressing:
4 anchovy fillets packed in oil
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon capers, drained

Mash the above in a large bowl just until they form a paste. Add:

1 large egg yolk
1 juice of 1 lemon
¾ tsp Dijon mustard (not the seeded type)

Whisk well together. Slowly drizzle in the following whisking constantly to form an emulsion:

2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil

Add 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan. Taste and season with fresh ground pepper and salt.

Just before serving add 3 romaine hearts, washed then torn into bite size pieces and toss together well. Add croutons and 3 strips of cooked chopped bacon if desired.

Garlic bread

1 baguette cut into half lengthwise

4 oz butter, softened
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped

Combine the butter together well. Toast the bread cut side down on the BBQ then remove and butter with the garlic butter. Wrap the bread in foil and heat on the BBQ just until steaming hot, approximately 5 minutes. Turn frequently to prevent the bread from burning.

Remove from the foil and slice into 2 inch sections. Serve on a platter alongside the steak and mushrooms.

Ice cream sundaes with fresh berry coulis

Have at least 2 different fruit coulis on hand as well as some fresh sliced fruit as well.

Coulis

Process 1½ cups of fresh ripe fruit in a food processer. Leave some texture. Add the juice of ½ lemon  or lime and add enough sugar to balance out the flavours.

Serve ice cream with some whipped cream on the side. Add garnishes if desired.

To get this meal to the table easily:

• several days in advance:
  • Made the 2 garlic butters and store refrigerated or even frozen (if frozen remember to remove from the freezer a day before you need them
  • Make the fruit coulis and store refrigerated
  • Made the marinade and store in the sealed bag
• Earlier in the day:
  • Marinate the steak
  • Wash the lettuce and store refrigerated
  • Cook and chop the bacon for the salad if using. Store the bacon at room temperature
  • Prep the mushrooms, press a piece of cling wrap firmly over the top and store at room temperature for less than 2 hours
  • Make the dressing and store refrigerated until required
  • Prep the baguette, butter and wrap
• Just before serving:
  • Cook the steaks to their desired degree of doneness remembering to allow time for them to rest
  • Slice butter
  • Cook the mushrooms
  • Assemble and toss salad
  • Grill garlic bread
  • Whip cream and assemble desserts

Cathie Hamilton
Certified Culinary Scientist
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