Nervous Cows

The literal translation of this dish - Luc Lac - is shaking beef, which always makes me think of a herd of cows panicking in a corner.  It's delicious though, and as I'm trying to eat more protein at the minute is becoming something of a favourite.

The really important about this dish is that you use the best quality beef that you can get your hands on.  It makes such a difference.  I use a cubed  Aberdeen Angus organic beef from my lovely butcher.

• 400g cubed beef
• 1tbsp oyster sauce
• 2tbsp soy sauce
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed
• large piece of ginger crushed
• black pepper
• chopped onion

Combine all the ingrediants apart from the garlic and leave to marinade.  This should be left for atleast 30 minutes, but I prefer to marinade overnight if at all possible.

Cook the garlic gently until golden brown, add the marinaded meat and cook over a high heat. The meat should be a little bit rare, so don't over cook. Serve on a bed of corriander.

Death Row

Apparently there's loads of different traditions when it comes to final meals.  In America inmates on death row are not allowed to ask for alcohol with their final meal, but in France historically the condemned man was given a last glass of rum, but no final meal as they were usually told of their impending doom minutes before being introduced to the guillotine.  In the States these days it's now euphemistically called a "special meal" and is provided a couple of days before the execution.

Ted Bundy apparently declined a special meal, so he was given the traditional steak (medium-rare), eggs (over-easy), hash browns, toast, milk, coffee, juice, butter, and jelly.

Interestingly steak would also be my final meal.  Or more specifically teriyaki steak.

The Marinade

• Juice of 4 lemons
• 4 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 6 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• large chunk of ginger (grated)
• slug of olive oil
• ground pepper/pinch salt

Go to the butcher and get really thick cut rump steak.  Make up the marinade, tasting as you go.  Marinade the meat for four days.  Yes, really - four days.  Minimum.

Cook on a really hot griddle pan, searing on both side and then serve sliced into ribbons.

I love this with fresh peppery salad or asparagus.

And that would be my final meal.  More interesting of course, is the story of how I end up on Death Row in the first place.....