Whip It Up: Week 1, or Week 6, depending on how you want to look at it

One thing that I hate to do is to commit myself something that I can't fulfill.  Most of the time, I'd rather follow through on something that I despise (see: three years of swim team) rather than man up and quit.

When I signed up for the Whip it Up challenge, I was truly enthusiastic.  However, all those out-of-town weekends resulted in me not cooking much at all, let alone trying out anything new after the first week.  And to make matters worse, I never got around to posting about that first recipe.  Or even downloading the pictures I took off my camera.

Fortunately, the kind and benevolent RA has granted me a pardon for this transgression, and so I proudly present to you my Whip It Up creation for Week 1  Week 6, which fits into exactly none of the suggested categories for any of the weeks!  Because when I decide to screw something up, I like to go all the way (hey, remember that post about the books I read in 2007 that I said I was going to write, once upon a time?  Me neither.  Exactly my point.)

So, may I present... Whip It Up:  Blade Steaks

Approximately one million years ago, my baby brother and two of his friends rode their bikes to our house.  From New Jersey.  On their way to the Pacific Ocean.   You see, I inherited nearly all the worrywart, plan-ahead genes in the family, leaving only a small portion over for Middle Brother.  Baby Brother, therefore, enjoys a carefree lifestyle and does things like spending the summer working at a gas station in Glacier National Park, driving cross country alone to work at a ski resort for six months, and riding his bike across the country. 

My job, as his older sister, is to worry needlessly on his behalf.  Do they have directions?  Is anyone in the group allergic to cats?  Anyone vegetarian?  Food allergies?   Yes, no, no and no.  I'm telling you, this kid gives me nothing to work with.

But never fear!  I found something to worry about.  It was actually kind of easy. I just found a recipe that was way too hard for me, printed it out and decided THAT'S what I'd make these hungry cyclists for dinner. 

First of all, I have no idea what a blade steak is.   So I just defrosted the three steaks that were in our freezer, assuming that steak is steak is steak. 

Next, I made a trip to Whole Foods to pick up the necessary ingredients.  I scored a few points by actually remembering to bring the recipe with me.  I lost those points when I realized that I didn't know what a shallot was.  Luckily, the Whole Foods employee stocking the veggie section was happy to point me in the right direction.

Back at home, I started chopping and sauteing away.

First, I seasoned and sauteed the steaks as instructed and then put them aside to rest.   If you look closely, you can see that I have two separate pans going here, because I decided to triple the recipe, since I was already in over my head.  

While the steaks were a-cookin', I chopped up my shallot and mushrooms.  Once the steaks were done, I washed the big pan and started sauteing the mushrooms.   Did I  mention that we only have two pans? 

I was a little worried about this, since I have never cooked mushrooms before, but it was very easy. 

So far, so good!

Now, this is where things got tricky for me.  The next steps in the recipe called for me to:

Add vinegar and soy sauce to skillet and simmer, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth and simmer 2 minutes.

While sauce simmers, stir cornstarch into remaining 2 teaspoons broth in a cup. Stir cornstarch mixture into sauce and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Return steaks and mushrooms, along with any juices accumulated on platter, to skillet and simmer, turning steaks over in sauce, until just heated through, about 1 minute.

Although I'd swear that I followed the instructions perfectly, the soy sauce/vinegar/cornstarch concoction just did not look right.  At all.  I was afraid that I'd used up all my luck with the steaks and the mushrooms, both of which looked and smelled delicious, and I didn't want to ruin them with the extremely salty-smelling sauce.  So.. I trashed the sauce, poured the mushrooms over the steaks and moved on.

Because I like to overdo things, I had decided to accompany these steaks with corn on the cob, grilled portobella mushrooms, mashed red potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes and a salad.  And to make homemade cookies for dessert.   I also made homemade iced tea.  And lemonade.  I have problems.

I used a recipe that I can no longer find online, but it basically went like this:

Take four portobella mushrooms, put them in a plastic bag, throw in some olive oil and a little bit of sea salt.  Let it all marinate in the refrigerator for several hours [I left them overnight] [because I cannot follow directions], then grill.  You can't really overdo them [that's what the recipe said. I swear.]

The recipe turned out to be just as easy as it sounds, and they were right about it being impossible to overdo the mushrooms.  I sort of accidentally forgot about them while i was fretting over my soy sauce and corn starch disaster, and they still turned out perfectly.

The result was quite a success, if I do say so myself.

Was the recipe easy to follow?

Blade steaks:  Um, not really.  I think I may have been the problem, but that sauce was seriously funky-looking. 

Portobella Mushrooms: Yes.

Did it taste good?

Blade steaks:  Yes, without the strange sauce, they were great.

Portobella Mushrooms: Yes.

Would I make it again?

Blade steaks:  Yes, although I'd just omit the sauce altogether.

Portobella Mushrooms: Yes, if only Joel liked mushrooms.

Comments

[RA]

Your meal plan sounds frighteningly ambitious. It looks like everyone liked everything, judging from your brother's enthusiastic thumbs-up. Go, you!

[heidikins]

Look at you!! Look at you cook! Yowza chica, you're a freaking rock star!!

xox

[Stephanie]

I am with you, WTH is a blade steak?

I am so jealous your brother is spending the summer in GNP. We went there after our wedding and spent several days there. It is an amazing part of the US, Brooks and I both look forward to going back sometime!

[Kim]

Overachievers unite!

Those mushrooms look heavenly! I will definitely be trying that!

[Mom]

You did a fabulous job feeding the bikers!

[nancypearlwannabe]

From this post, I got: you've never cooked mushrooms before?! I'm glad you tested them out on your brother, that's what siblings are for.

[Laurel]

I find most sauces for steak too fussy. I mean, it's delicious, bloody, fatty MEAT! What else could it possibly need!?