Put Your Fork Down

RECIPE of the Week: Pan-fried Steak

"Do you ever eat in a rush, or while distracted or multitasking?” For most people, the answer is "Yes”.  While commonplace and seemingly efficient, splitting your energy while eating can cause poor digestion, and to eating more than your body wants. 

Your body much prefers that you just eat while you are eating, so it can do it’s job of absorbing the nutrients from your food and letting you know when you are satiated. 

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, this is a great time of year to practice the art of mindful eating: slow down and give your full attention to the process of nourishing yourself.

• Sit down at a table, instead of eating standing up, at your desk or while walking or driving. 
• Turn off the television, close the laptop or book, move the cell phone and mail off the table.  
• Arrange your meal in a pleasing fashion.
• Gaze at your plate or bowl of food, taking it in with your eyes. 
• Appreciate and thank all the beings (plants, animals, humans) that were involved in getting this food to your plate. 
• Breathe deeply, taking in the delicious aromas.
• Take one bite. Put your fork down. Chew slowly, savoring the taste, texture and temperature of the food. Breathe into your belly as you do.
• Swallow. Pause.  
• Pick your fork back up and repeat.

"It will take forever to finish a meal!" Not forever, but yes, it will longer than a meal scarfed down on the fly. But mindful eating will create healthier digestive qi, and give you a greater sense of satisfaction and satiation. 

Likely you will not eat like this every meal, but at least try it once. Or, once a week. Over time, you may find yourself eating most meal more mindfully and slowly.

(For meat-eaters)

While we wouldn’t recommend eating a steak on Day 11 :), a little celebratory steak on Day 19 might not be so bad! At a recommended serving size of 3 to 4 oz per person, you’ll want to take your time and chew each delicious, savory bite thoroughly and slowly. 

Pick up a sustainably raised, naturally fed, cut of steak at Local Butcher in Berkeley. Choose your cut based on your preferences in regards to amount of saturated fat and price. Here’s a guide to the different cuts.

Pan seared steak - good for rib-eye and strip steak cuts (I also use this method for t-bone steaks)

• Thick bottomed or cast iron pan
• 3 to 4 oz steak
• A few pats of butter

The following to taste:

• Clove(s) of garlic
• Sprig(s) of rosemary
• Salt & pepper

Directions

1. Heat a dry pan on medium-high heat.
2. When the bottom begins to radiate heat, place steak on the pan. 
3. Leave steak to sear for 2 to 3 min or until steak can move freely on pan.
4. Turn the steak over and sear the other side for 1 to 2 min.
5. Add butter, garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.
6. Flip steak a few times and spoon butter et al over the steak after each flip.
7. Cook to a point before desired doneness*.
8. Place steak on a plate and let it rest a minimum of 5 to 7 minutes and up to 5 minutes for every inch of thickness.
9. Serve with ½ a roasted sweet potato, some salad then eat (slowly) and enjoy!

*You can use a thermometer to determine doneness:
Rare: 120°-125°, Medium Rare: 130°–135°, Medium: 140°–145°, Medium Well: 150°–155°, Well Done: 160°–165° (we highly do not recommend well done for a good cut of steak :)

No thermometer? You can use the pad of flesh on your palm under your thumb to determine doneness. Tap the area with your hand open and then tap the area with your hand in a tight fist. Loosen the fist and tap the area again. The feeling with the hand open is roughly how the steak will feel if it is rare, the feeling with the hand in a tight fist is well done, and the looser the fist, the more you move from medium well to medium rare.

Another reminder is that steak is perhaps best viewed as a “feast food” meaning, only partake once in a while - it’s possibly healthier for you and definitely for the environment!