Everyday Eats

JASMIN WESTON (@jasmineats) is here to help you transform your cooking game and show you how to make easy, mouth-watering dishes without breaking the bank. Even if you’ve never cooked before, Jasmin promises that if she can do it, you sure can too!

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GARLIC BUTTER PAN-SEARED STEAK

How to cook perfectly seared and basted garlic butter steak using either eye fillet or Scotch fillet (rib eye).

SERVES 1
COOK TIME 6-10MIN
RESTING TIME 10-15MIN

 Ingredients

• 1 × 200-250g eye or Scotch Fillet (or whatever cut you like)
• sea salt
• avocado oil (olive oil will work fine)
• 45g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 thyme sprigs

1. Remove the steak from the fridge, pat it dry as best as you can with paper towel, then salt it generously on ALL sides. Set aside to come to room temperature or leave it in the fridge for 1–24 hours to dry. If you put it in the fridge to dry, make sure you allow it to come to room temperature before cooking.
2. Once the steak is at room temperature, pat the steak again to remove any moisture from the surface.
3. Begin to heat a frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the oil and give it a few seconds to heat up.
4. Once the oil is swimming around the pan with ease, place the steak in the pan. Using tongs, carefully place one end of the steak into the side of the pan closest to you, then place the other end at the furthest side of the pan, to avoid being splashed with hot oil.
5. If you can, apply pressure to the steak to ensure an even crust.
6. After 3–4 minutes, flip the steak and again apply pressure if you can.
7. After the first minute, add the butter, garlic, rosemary and thyme to the pan, preferably to the side closest to you. Allow the butter to melt and infuse with the aromatics.
8. Once the butter is melted, tilt the pan towards you ever so slightly to allow the butter to run to the bottom of the pan, then use a spoon to baste the steak in the now garlic and herb-infused butter.
9. Continue doing this until the steak has been cooking for the same amount of time as the other side. If you’re not confident the steak is cooked enough to your liking, feel free to flip it again and continue basting. Or, you can use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Don’t forget to remove the steak from the pan 10ish degrees before the desired temp – the steak will continue to cook from the residual heat when it rests.
10. Once you’re happy with the way the steak feels and looks, remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack set over a deep baking tray.
11. Pour the butter over the steak and leave the aromatics on top of the steak while it rests for 10–15 minutes. Feel free to cover the steak with foil to maintain heat but only cover it LOOSELY. If the foil is wrapped tightly around the steak, you’ll make the steak sweat and it’ll lose all of its juices again.
12. Once it has rested, cut the steak AGAINST the grain and serve with whatever sides your heart desires.

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STICKY BRAISED PORK BELLY BAO

This sticky braised pork is top tier if I do say so myself. The Chinese cooking wine takes this dish from home-cook to restaurant quality. Although braising may sound intimidating, trust me when I tell you, this dish is a lot easier than you think! The ‘wow’ factor is HUGE with this one.

SERVES 3 (makes 6 bao)   
PREP TIME 15MINS
COOKING TIME 40MINS

Ingredients

• 500–650g rindless pork belly rashers
• 6 frozen bao buns (available from your local Asian grocer, or in the freezer section at major supermarkets)

Pickled veggies

• 250ml (1 cup) water
• 250ml (1 cup) white vinegar
• 110g (½ cup) white sugar
• 2 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1 continental cucumber, finely sliced
• 1 carrot, finely sliced/peeled

Sauce

115g (½ cup) brown or raw sugar

• 125ml (½ cup) soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
• 2 star anise
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp freshly grated ginger

To serve

• spring onion, finely sliced diagonally
• fresh parsley or coriander leaves
• Kewpie mayo

1. Prepare all your ingredients and equipment ready before you start.
2. For the pickled veggies, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the water, vinegar, sugar and peppercorns to a low simmer and cook just until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Place the cucumber and carrot in a sterilised Mason jar (at least 600ml in size) and carefully pour the pickling liquid into the jar to cover the veggies. Screw on the lid and set aside in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour – leave overnight for best results.
4. Place all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix to combine.
5. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over high heat and sear the pork belly rashers on both sides until golden. This will only take a couple of minutes.
6. Once seared, transfer the pork belly to a chopping board – leave the pan on the heat but reduce the heat to medium. Holding the pork belly with tongs, cut the rashers into 5cm strips with a sharp knife.
7. Add the sauce to the pan and stir constantly. Once the sauce reaches a low simmer and the sugar has dissolved, return the pork belly to the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and allow the pork belly to braise for 30 minutes, ensuring you flip the pieces of pork a few times during cooking.
8. By the time 30 minutes is up, the sauce should have reduced down and thickened into a glossy sauce. If not, remove the pork from the sauce, increase the heat ever so slightly and cook until the sauce begins to bubble, then allow an extra 10-ish minutes for the sauce to reduce.
9. Once the sauce is thick and glossy, transfer it to a jar or bowl.
10. Steam the bao buns according to the packet instructions.
11. Fill the bao buns with the freshly pickled veggies, a slice or two of pork, a good drizzle of the sticky braised sauce, some spring onion and fresh herbs, a good squeeze of Kewpie and serve. 

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Extracted from Everyday Eats by Jasmin Weston, published by Plum, RRP $44.99, photography by Ben Dearnley.