High Steaks

The first episode of Off Season, taped in my friend Dan's kitchen on 22 February 2003. The shoot went pretty well, as did the editing process, though as I write this I have yet to get it on the air due to an inability to find a remote that works properly with my mastering VCR.

Just before the taping I picked up a copy of The French Chef Cookbook for inspiration; I think it may be the only readily available book that actually tells anything about how to run a cooking show. Well, I seem to have done everything wrong, improvising my way through the process with no sound tech, no script, and poor lighting, but it still came out pretty good (for a first try, that is).

Pan-Seared Steak in Red Wine Sauce

• 2 12-oz/350g boneless sirloin strip steaks
• 1/2 c/125 mL full-bodied red wine (I used an Australian merlot)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp/30 g unsalted butter

Preheat a saute pan on medium-high heat. Melt half the butter and add half the chopped shallot; saute briefly and add steak. Cook steak five minutes without turning, than turn and cook until it reaches desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan and allow to rest; meanwhile, add remaining shallots, saute until translucent, and deglaze pan with red wine. Remove from heat, whisk in remaining butter, and pour sauce over steaks.

Rice Pilaf with Pasta

This sort of qualifies as a family recipe -- I've been making it for years. It's probably nothing terribly different from anything anyone else here makes for rice. Don't use short-grain rice here -- it won't have the right texture.

• 1 c white or converted rice
• 1/6 c spaghetti or vermicelli, broken in 1-in/3cm lengths
• 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
• 2 c/450 mL chicken stock
• 2 tbsp/30 g butter or olive oil

In a pan on medium heat, melt butter or add olive oil and add garlic and onion. Cook for a couple of minutes until onion is translucent and garlic is just starting to brown, then add rice and pasta. Cook everything until rice is opaque and pasta is starting to toast, then add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is done, then fluff with a fork or wet wooden spoon.

Snow Peas with Raisins and Pine Nuts

This is based on an Italian Jewish way of cooking vegetables. It's somewhat of a free-form interpretation, but it works pretty well.

• 1/2 lb/250 g snow peas
• 1/8 c raisins (Thompson seedless)
• 1/8 c pine nuts
• 1/4 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil

In a microwave-safe container, parcook snow peas in microwave for no more than 3 minutes (they should still be a bit crunchy). Meanwhile, preheat a pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and onion, and cook until onion is starting to become translucent. Add pine nuts and toast them for a minute or so, then add raisins and peas. Saute for about three minutes or until peas have reached the desired degree of doneness.