Tuesday, December 25, 2012

It's Festivus for the Rest'uv Us, with Salisbury Steak & Grilled Aubergines

                   Jerry Stiller (Frank Costanza) recounts: "Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had, but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way..out of that, a new holiday was born..."
                   When all of your friends have family home for Christmas, or are travelling to celebrate with family, or are just travelling, and no one’s around to meet up and chat…you realize, like Frank Costanza, that there has to be another way. That holidays often end up being cosy, mostly family-only affairs, unless everyone in your circle is free and therefore available for a potluck...or better still, if there is an obliging soul who feels pressed to throw an annual bash.

Mr. Pickwick lived it up at Mr. Wardle's (The Pickwick Papers). We, ahem, enjoyed a much tamer affair
                    Our idea of a 'good time' - hanging up the American’s silver gingerbread man and paper turkey, the Singapore Singaaran’s snowflake and foam reindeer, the holiday wreath stuck with partridges and pears, and taping paper cut-outs to our windows.
   
                  We set the table with our best plates and silverware, lit candles and incense, and laid out dinner – Salisbury steak, roast chicken, grilled aubergines, and pita bread.


                     There was no pole…although there were some ‘airing of grievances’ and feats of strength (if you take into account our sons’ pouts and heroic attempts to finish their dinner).
                     It was a beautiful end to four days of family fun, reading together, building blocks and elaborate train networks together, making ipad home videos, watching holiday movies on ION, cooking comfort foods, shopping together, snuggling in bed together…even having colds together! Understandably, we look forward to the next weekend when some friends will come home and with us, ring in the new.
                      Merry Christmas!...especially to my friend and neighbor KB, who always presents us with a box of homemade assorted cookies during the season. The cookies are phenomenal, as is my friend, a musician and teacher, and mother of 2 affectionate boys - apple-cheeked A, and J the jellybean. God bless her family, Ameen.
Salisbury Steak:
1. Grind together - 2 slices of bread soaked in 1/2 cup milk, 1 small onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 egg, 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.
2. Mix this into 2 lbs. of ground beef, together with 2 tsps. salt, and 1 tsp. ground black pepper.
 
3. Shape into palm sized patties, and dust with flour (or cornstarch, if you like).
4. Heat skillet with 1 tsp. oil, and fry the 'steaks' till done (about 4 mins. on each side). If you fear the 'steaks' will lose their moisture, then just cover the skillet and lock in the steam. Keep cooked steaks aside in your serving dish.
The Sauce:
1. In the same skillet, caramelize 1 large sliced onion with 1/2 cup butter. Add 2 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp. mustard, 1 tsp. brown sugar, and 2 cups broth (I just made my own instant stock using Maggi veggie cubes), and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to incorporate all the delicious sticky bits in the pan. 
All right, I used another pan - the one in which I stir fried chicken. Same thing. Almost. 
2. Whisk 2 tsps. flour (or 1 tsp. cornstarch, whatever's at hand) into 1/2 cup of this 'sauce', and add to the pan, stirring over a medium flame till the whole thickens.
You're aiming for a rich brown here...
3. Pour over the waiting steaks.
Grilled Aubergines:
1. Slice 2 large aubergines.
2. Toss them with olive oil, salt and basil, and lay out on a baking sheet.
3. Bake @ 350F till done.

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