December 2, 2016 Lunch – Azuma. Dinner – Grilled Rib Steak with Stir Fried Broccoli, onion, garlic, ginger and beech mushrooms

December 2, 2016 Lunch – Azuma.  Dinner – Grilled Rib Steak with Stir Fried Broccoli, onion, garlic, ginger and beech mushrooms

I worked until 10:45 and then drove to Fano and bought two baguettes, still warm from the oven.

Then I met Robert Mueller for lunch at Azuma.  We shared an order of egg rolls and each ordered a Chirashi Donburi.  I congratulated him on Donald Trump’s victory and even bought him lunch.

Then I stopped at American Escrow to get some documents.

When I got home around 1:40 I thawed out three rib steaks bought in April at Albertson’s for $6.77/lb. which is the new low price in town for choice rib steaks.

I worked until 5:30 and when Suzette came home asked her if she wanted a stir fry of beef and broccoli.  She said, “No, I would like to Grill the steak.  So I took the flowerets off a head of broccoli ($.59/lb. at El Super), chopped three cloves of garlic, about 1 T. of ginger, and ½ medium onion.  At 6:30 when Suzette grilled the steak, I stir fried the ginger and garlic in peanut oil for a minute and then added the other ingredients.  While these ingredients were cooking, I separated the tops of 3 oz of white beech mushrooms from the dirt they grow in and added them to the mixture in the wok.

I then added about 1 T. of each of mushroom soy and Chinese Cooking wine and a couple of dashes of sesame oil.  I put similar amounts of each of these liquids in a bowl and added 1 T. of cornstarch and about ¼ cup of water to the bowl to make a thickening sauce.

I covered the wok so the mixture could steam and cook for about ten minutes.  Then I added the thickening sauce and cooked it with the mixture.  The sauce thickened too much and became a sticky mess, so I added another ¼ cup water and that was too much water because it loosened the sauce too much.  I could have cooked the mixture for another minute to thicken the sauce but Suzette had brought the grilled steak in and had sliced it and she was ready to eat so we plated dinner.

I pulled the cork and poured out the ½ bottle of Zinfandel that had mellowed out from sitting for a few days after being opened and had slightly oxidized in a good way.

I ate some crème anglais for dessert.

Bon Appetit