Steak with Mushrooms and Onions

Monday 27 August

It's the first day of classes, dammit.  (Did I say dammit? dammit.)  Time to pamper ourselves with a big pan-fried loin steak smothered with mushrooms and onions, and a bigger red wine.  The wine was an Edmeades Mendocino County zinfandel, brought by Kathy and Russel for our midsummer party, but somehow not consumed.  Boy, did we consume it today, and savored every drop.

And somehow this slipped out of this week's posts...

Lamb Hash; Baked Pears with Cream

Sunday 26 August

The leftover ends of lamb and everything else got hashed in the robot-coupe, which is the quickest way to hash. 

Somehow lamb seems Scottish, so we used a turnip as well as two Yukon gold potatoes, plus the usual onion, chicken broth to moisten, and fresh thyme.  We'd have used parsley if it hadn't all gone to seed.

At the Backyard Orchard stand at the Farmers' Market, Holt had bought these cute little local seckel pears.  And despite all the years, indictments, and imprisonments, he still finds Martha Stewart's old Entertaining book the go-to for various desserts, including this simple recipe for baked pears with cream.

Preheat oven to 375º.  We calculated 2 little pears for each of Martha's normal-sized ones, so 2 each per serving.  Cut in half lengthwise and core each pear.  Butter a baking dish just large enough to hold all pear halves.  Then you measure 1 Tbsp. sugar per whole pear (= 2 little ones).  Sprinkle dish with half the sugar, put pears in cut side down, and sprinkle with rest of sugar.  

Bake 16 mins. for little pears, 20 for normal.  Then pour about 2 Tbsp. heavy cream over all and bake an additional 10 mins. small/15 mins. large.  Let it rest 4 mins. so it doesn't burn your palate, and experience heavenly sweet pear and cream flavor.