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Perfect Steak Recipe

How to make Perfect Steak

Jeez I've been eating a lot of steak recently...

This is a very simple method of cooking steaks that gets absolutely fantastic results. Next time you cook a steak, don't just fry it in oil, try this. What you get at the end is a steak with miles more flavour, and not dried out on one side which can happen if you're just nuking it in the pan without much thought. Treat your meat well!

Season the steak generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a glug of olive oil in the pan until it is hot. You want thesteak to sizzle as soon as it hits the pan. If it doesn't, that means you're just boiling the meat in oil and too much oil will penetrate the meat, making it greasy. If it doesn't sizzle, just take the steak out and wait a bit longer.
Seal the steak on one side in the hot oil. Turn the steak over and add the garlic cloves around it to perfume the meat.
Lay the rosemary sprigs on the steak and add the butter to the pan. Let the butter get nice and hot, then with a metal spoon start spooning up the butter and meat juices and basting the top side of the steak(pouring it over the rosemary to allow the flavour to permeate the meat). Tilt the pan slightly to make it easier for you to spoon up the oil. Careful as you do this, mind. Keep basting.
Remove the rosemary temporarily with tongs. Turn the steak over, put the rosemary back on and resume basting. The oil should sizzle in a satisfying manner when you pour it on the meat. Numnumnum.
Continue for as long as you like your meat done. I'm a medium / medium-rare type of guy and like it pink. Remove the steak from the pan and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

I served mine with a garlic mash (so easy, I just grated a clove of garlic, sizzled it in a bit of olive oil and added it to mashed potato with salt and pepper) and some steamed green beans. A really simple, yet totally delicious dinner. For one. Ho hum.

Black Pepper Beef Tagliatelle Recipe

How to make Black Pepper Beef Tagliatelle

I absolutely love dishes like this. For some reason, pasta works incredibly well with robust Asian flavours - here a delicious peppery, garlicky sweet sauce. The combination of Asian flavours with fresh (or good quality dried) pasta is something I thoroughly enjoy experimenting with. Makes 2 generous portions.

In a blender, pulse together the black peppercorns, mirin, oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar to a thick paste. You're looking for a sweet, peppery flavour. Adjust to your liking - my measurements aren't exact, they are simply where I started off from...
Put some water on the boil in a pan for the pasta.
Heat some olive oil in a wok. When hot, stir fry together the sliced pepper and mushrooms. Glug some kecap manis on them to give a little colour. Season with a bit of salt. When soft, tip them into a heatproof container and keep aside.
When your pasta water is boiling, add the pasta. It will cook in about 6 - 10 mins (depending on whether you opted for fresh or dry), and that's more than enough time to finish off the beef.
In the wok, heat a little more oil. Fry together the beef, garlic, ginger and shallots. When the beef is cooked through, add the mushrooms and peppers you cooked previous. Add the pepper sauce from the blender. Mix well and turn down the heat.
Drain the pasta and add to the beef wok. Add the chopped coriander and spring onions, mix everything together well, and serve immediately. Squeeze over fresh lime before eating.

Spiced Chicken Pitas

Make a perfect summer supper: grill spice-rubbed chicken breasts and tuck them into whole-wheat pitas along with fresh vegetables and a tangy yogurt sauce. Serve with: Grilled vegetables and a pilsner.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala , (see Tip), divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 cup thinly sliced seeded cucumber
3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro , or mint
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper , to taste
4 6-inch whole-wheat pitas, warmed
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
2 small or 1 large tomato, sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

Preparation

Preheat grill to medium-high or position rack in upper third of oven and preheat broiler. If grilling, oil the grill rack (see Tip). If broiling, coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the chicken on the grill rack or prepared pan and cook until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 4 to 8 minutes per side, depending on the size of the breast. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine cucumber, yogurt, cilantro (or mint), lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Thinly slice the chicken. Split open the warm pitas and fill with the chicken, yogurt sauce, lettuce, tomato and onion.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2. Refrigerate the chicken in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Tips: Garam masala is a blend of spices used in Indian cooking. It is available in the spice section of most supermarkets.
To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 333 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 32 g protein; 6 g fiber; 637 mg sodium; 485 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Magnesium (21% dv), Iron (20% dv).
2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Lindt & Spugli Chocolates

Lindt & Spugli is a swiss premium chocolate and confectionery company.Lindor is a type of chocolate produced by Lindt, which is characterized by a hard chocolate shell and a smooth chocolate fillingLindt also produces the 'Gold Bunny', a hollow milk chocolate rabbit in a variety of sizes available every Easter. Each bunny wears a small red ribbon bow around its neck, with a bell attached. The bunny also comes in dark and white chocolate. The dark chocolate bunny wears a dark brown ribbon and the white chocolate bunny wears a white ribbon. Also chocolates wrapped to look like carrots, chicks and lambs are made. The lambs are packaged with four white lambs and one black. At Christmas, Lindt produces a variety of items including, but not limited to a chocolate reindeer, which somewhat resembles the classic bunny, in addition to hollow European style santa, 'Snowmen' figures of varying sizes, bells, advent calendars and chocolate ornaments.

Ghirardelli

The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is a United States division of Swiss candymaker Lindt & spugli. chocolate is sold in bar version or is cut up into squares and individually packagedGhirardelli is one of the few chocolate companies in the United States to control every aspect of its chocolate manufacturing process,rejecting up to 40% of the cocoa beans shipped in order to select what the company calls the "highest quality" beans. The company then roasts the cocoa beans in-house by removing the outer shell on the bean and roasting the inside of the bean, or the nibs.

Ferrero Rocher

Ferrero Rocher is a spherical chocolate sweet made by Italian chocolatier Ferrero Spa.The sweets consist of a whole roasted hazelnut encased in a thin wafer shell filled with hazelnut cream and covered in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts and walnuts.Apart from the traditional hazelnut flavor, Ferrero Rocher comes in other flavors. There are several other flavors: Including coconut & dark chocolate also Pistachio, Strawberry, Coconut and Lemon are the Ferrero Garden Varieties. The original Ferrero Rocher is in a gold wrapper whereas coconut is in a silver wrapper and dark chocolate a brown log.

Thorntons

Thorntons is a British Chocolate company.Over the next few years, as Thorntons got a name for itself, we created a uniquely rich and chewy ‘special’ toffee, that became so popular it became the fuel of the city’s steelworkers.Hand-finished dark and milk chocolates, created using cocoa beans from five regions around the world and selected for their individual characters, flavours and aromas.In the true style of Fusions Cuisine it has blended a new collection of chocolates, harmonising the smoothness of Belgian chocolate, made with cocoa beeans from Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and Sao Tome.

Hershey's

Hershey's is one of the oldest chocolate companies in the United States, and an American icon for its chocolate bar.While his company was successfully selling sweet chocolate products, Milton Hershey knew that a fortune lay in creating and selling milk chocolate products. Milton built a milk-processing plant .later Hershey introduced a new candy, small flat-bottomed conical-shaped pieces of chocolate that he named hershey's kisses.Hershey's Symphony is a famous chocolate product of hershey's which contains less sugar and is creamier than "normal" Hershey's chocolate. The ingredients lists of it and its normal counterpart are identical;,so one can not know for sure how greatly the proportions differ in Hershey's Symphony.

Guylian is a Belgian chocolate manufacturer.Guylian Chocolates are some of the finest available! Decadent, rich and perfect chocolates for your dining pleasureGuylian is most famous for their production of chocolate sea shells, with a praline filling.Following the success of the chocolate Sea Shells, Guylian now offers a wide range of premium gift boxes, individually wrapped chocolates and bars.A fine chocolate is velvety smooth without the graininess that comes from incomplete refinement. Roll the chocolate over your tongue, allowing the flavors to permeate your mouth.

Godiva

Godiva's assortment offers a great combination of Solid Milk Chocolate, Solid Dark Chocolate, Solid White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate with Smooth Caramel, Milk Chocolate with Almonds, and Dark Chocolate with Raspberry all-of-a-kind chocolate assortments are designed for those who know exactly what they want in milk chocolates. All with the intensity, silkiness and richness of Godiva chocolate.Godiva Dark Chocolate Pearls has an Instant dark chocolate decadence. The mini-tins are perfectly packaged to go with you.Godiva continually strives to create new, prestigious products. The Almond Butter Dome, similar to a peanut butter cup, utilizes almond butter instead of peanut butter, elevating it far above everyday peanut butter confections. The nutmeats used in the products are U.S. Grade #1. The milk chocolate gift box includes Cinnamon Blush, Coffee Feather, Open Oyster, Almond Praline Raindrop, Pecan Caramel Duet, and more.

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Neuhaus

The Neuhaus Chocolate offers comprehensive selection of our individually hand crafted Belgian chocolates. It celebrates history of creating the finest and best Belgium chocolateAt Neuhaus chocolate makers produce quality Belgian milk chocolates, white chocolates and dark chocolates, each delicately infused with a range of tantalising and indulgent fillings.Gift boxes with a variety of Belgian chocolate assortments including both pralines and truffles. For a strong cocoa flavour you can try out our dark Belgian chocolate collection.It provides a delicious selection of pure belgian chocolates from large bars to small bars and chocolate covered almonds to eat on the go.

Doesn’t that look tranquil? Even those scared of flying would feel at ease, surrounded by all that water and inside the hundreds of mini skylights. It’s part of a concept brief for the transformation of their Hanimaadhoo Island airport.
Dreamed up by the Norwegian architectures Narud Stokke Wiig and UK agency Haptic, the island currently hosts a smaller domestic airport but will soon be revamped to make way for this stunning terminal.
Haptic described the design as having the following:

“The roof is formed as a timber diagrid structure with a lightweight, highly insulated skin. The terminal employs several passive design measures, from north facing rooflights and large roof overhangs, to minimise solar gain, to rainwater harvesting and roof mounted photovoltaics.”

I love how all those sunlights dot sun patches across the floor. [Haptic via DesignBoom]

Back to home from Ari atoll

The Real Meaning of Adventure

What is adventure? Some people believe that adventure is not just that extreme and dangerous experience that one could find existing. On the contrary, they believe that it is an attitude that helps us face the obstacles present in our daily routine. For example, the challenges we have to deal with, the new and different options that life offers, the unknown that is at all time waiting for us, represent an adventure in itself. And it is in this adventure that the human beings discover themselves.

The word adventure has different meanings for different people. Generally, adventure implies thrill and excitement, risks and dangers, and the unexpected and extraordinary experiences. The adventurous people are always on the look out for things that will evoke new feelings and sensations. This is the definition of adventure commonly accepted. However, there are others for whom adventure means much more than this. They associate adventure with a certain bent of mind that helps them enjoy life to the fullest, by accepting it as it unfolds before them. They see opportunities in difficulties and treat hurdles as stepping-stones. They accept everything knowing very well that there is nothing without its pluses and minuses.

Therefore, life is seen as an adventure in itself. It is the manner in which you decide to view and live your own life. And the approach you have to life will certainly affect the way you experience this mysterious journey which we are part of. Some people believe that traveling, sightseeing or hanging on a rope is what an adventure stands for. But the problem may be that they are not experiencing their life as an exploration and their boring life leads them to lookfor excitement outside themselves.

This hidden and deeper meaning of adventure can only be understood by changing one's point of view towards life. This will not only enable you to identify the raison d'etre of your life, but will also help you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and accept yourself as a person. However, one needs to realize that one just doesn't stumble upon adventures just like that. It is only through discovering our own strengths that we can uncover these adventures, and derive wisdom from them. As human beings, we are posed in the world in such a manner that we are compulsive adventurers. And, being so, we are capable of shaping our own lives and destinies, through a positive and constructive approach.

Life is a rare opportunity. With a little faith we can change the very meaning of life. Hurdles and obstacles can be used as openings and opportunities to discover the extent of our strength and courage. The secret lies in living life as an ever-new, ever-fresh adventure and being open to accepting whatever comes our way.