Author: kaitiscotland

I am a Scottish doctor who is working to improve the outcomes for people who have diabetes using a low carb diet, and advanced insulin techniques when necessary. Professionally I provide expert witness reports in the clinical forensic and family medicine areas and I also provide complementary therapies. I enjoy cooking, cinema, reading, travel and cats.

Clean Food for Thought: Shrimp with Avocado Salsa

kaitiscotland6 Comments

 

maxresdefault (3)Shrimp  with Avocado Salsa | Food For Thought
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Shrimp  with Avocado Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Avocado Salsa

  • 2 ripe avocado, diced
  • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 3 tbsp cilantro, minced
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the Shrimp

  • 24 medium shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp fresh lime juice
  • Optional Toppings: red cabbage

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the shrimp, 1 tbsp olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt and lime juice. Let sit in the fridge for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
  2. In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the salsa. Set aside.
  3. Heat a small to medium skillet on medium with the rest of the olive oil. Once hot, add in the marinated shrimp. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the shrimp is not opaque.
  4. Put some chopped cabbage on a plate, put6 warm shrimps  on top with the salsa on top of this.

Enjoy!

(originally published on cleanfoodforthought and reproduced by kind permission)

 

 

What do you do if you run out of insulin?

kaitiscotland3 Comments
type 1 diabetes medical equipment

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The predicament of having difficulty getting insulin if it runs out for any reason, shouldn’t be a disaster in the UK. We have the NHS and you can go to your regular Pharmacist, ANY Pharmacist, your own GP, ANY GP or ANY Accident and Emergency Department and get a prescription free of charge.  
This is NOT the situation in the USA and here is a “Disasters Averted” story published o  16 August 20016 which discusses the situation and possible options you can take if you live there or ever face problems in the country in which you live.
As always with diabetes it helps to know about your possible options before the worst happens. When travelling always carry double what you think you will need. Insulin MUST be taken on carry on luggage so it doesn’t freeze in the hold of a plane. Also split your medications and gear with a pal so that if one of you is robbed you have spares.
 
 Out  of Insulin, Too Early to Renew — What To Do?

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It is not unusual for people to have difficulty keeping insulin from freezing or getting overheated. A patient, with type 1 diabetes for 17 years, had glucose that did not respond to his rapid-acting insulin as it usually does. He had two new vials in the refrigerator. He took a new vial out of his refrigerator earlier in the day, and started using it a few hours after he took it out. Had high post prandials that did not respond as usual to correcting. He had enough experience to wonder if perhaps something was wrong with his new insulin, so he thought he’d try another vial. He saw it was frozen. He had put the two vials at the back, where for many refrigerators it is colder. He thought back and wondered if the first vial looked any different, but remembered, he did not look closely at it.

He then went to get a new prescription filled at his pharmacy, but was told insurance would not cover it at this date; it was too early. It was cost prohibitive for him to pay out of pocket ~$300.00/vial. He contacted a diabetes health care provider (hcp) who offered him two sample vials to cover him until his prescription would once again be covered. He corrected and his glucose lowered. Disaster averted!

Not everyone has the luxury of having a hcp who has samples available in such a timely manner. If their hcp even had them, what if it were a weekend, or another time that the hcp did not have access to the samples? I reached out to certified diabetes educator, Laurie Klipfel, RN, MSN, BC-ANP, CDE, to see if she could offer any pearls of wisdom:

“This was a recent discussion on an AADE list serve with many good suggestions. The best suggestion was asking the healthcare provider if samples were available.  My next option would be to see if the insurance would make an exception under the circumstances (but this may take time). Someone with type 1 needs their insulin and cannot wait a day or two. The next option is to see if a diabetes educator could contact a rep for samples (their prescribing healthcare provider would also need to be involved). My next option would be to see if there were coupons available online from websites like: www.rxpharmacycoupons.com, or other websites. As a last resort (but may be the fastest option in a pinch), if a patient was not able to afford the analog insulins such as Novolog, Humalog, or Apidra, I might suggest discussing with the healthcare provider if using regular insulin instead would be an option. Though the analogs match insulin need to insulin much better than regular insulin, taking regular insulin (especially when using a generic brand such as Walmart’s ReliOn brand) can be a much cheaper option and would be much better than not taking any meal dose insulin at all.  It would be beneficial to explain the differences in action times and suggest taking regular insulin 15-30 min. before the meal and beware of potential hypoglycemia 3-5 hours after injection due to longer action of regular. Of note, you do not need a prescription for regular, NPH or 70/30 insulin.

“I would also agree with suggestions made on the list serve for keeping the insulin in the door of the refrigerator and using a thermometer in the refrigerator. If the temperature in the refrigerator is not stable, it may be helpful to have the thermostat of the refrigerator checked.“

Lessons Learned:

 

    • People who have diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes, need to have and take insulin that is effective.
    • If you have type 1 diabetes, you are in danger of DKA. Know what it is, how to prevent, recognize, and get help for DKA.
    • A back-up plan for insulin gone bad or not available.
    • To double check insulin when taken out of the refrigerator for the “feel of the temperature” of the insulin. Do not use if hot, warm, or frozen.
    • To know what their insulin should look like, clear or cloudy. Avoid it if crystals, clumps or anything unusual is noted.
    • The onset, peak, and length of action of insulins they are taking, as well as replacements if needed.
    • If insulin is not available and can’t get insulin within hours, to visit the nearest ED or urgent care center.

Jovina cooks Italian: Shrimp and tomato salad and Sausage with Peppers

kaitiscotland2 Comments

What To Make For An Outdoor Summer Party | jovinacooksitalian

Salad Course: Grilled Shrimp Tomato Salad

IMG_0006

This is a popular dish, so I often divide the salad onto smaller serving dishes, so I can have them available in several areas.

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil for the grill
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as dill, basil, mint, and/or chives
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 pounds peeled and deveined large raw shrimp
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds tomatoes,  quartered
  • Parsley sprigs for garnish

Directions

Oil the grill grates and preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Whisk together the ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Arrange tomatoes on a large serving platter or in a large bowl, and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette.

Mix the shrimp with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Grill the shrimp, covered with the grill lid, 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink.

Mix the grilled shrimp with the remaining vinaigrette and arrange over tomatoes. Garnish with the parsley sprigs. Serve at room temperature.

Main Dish: Italian Sausage and Peppers

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This dish is always a big hit with everyone.

Serves 6

For the sausage:

  • 1 ½ lb. Italian sausage

Directions

Prepare an outdoor grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Keep a third of the grill indirect heat. On a charcoal grill, this means spreading the coals over two-thirds of the firebox and leaving one-third coal-free.

On a gas grill, leave one burner off. Sausages should be grilled over indirect heat.

Lightly brush or rub the sausage with olive oil. This prevents sticking and makes them extra crisp. Use tongs and don’t break the sausage skin when turning.

Grill the sausages over the indirect part of the grill until crusty and golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 30 minutes, turning them over after 15 minutes.

The safe internal temperature for ground meats—sausages included—is 160 degrees F.

Cut the sausages into two-inch lengths and set aside.

For the peppers and onions:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 sweet bell peppers or 20 Italian frying peppers, seeded, sliced into 2 1/2 to 3-inch long strips
  • 2 large sweet onions, halved and sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (chili)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To finish the dish:

  • 2 cups Marinara (tomato) sauce

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, the peppers, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, until crisp tender.

Add the tomato sauce and heat.

Add the grilled sausage links to the skillet with the peppers and onions. Heat until the sausage is warm.

Most people need a minimum of one hour exercise a day

kaitiscotland1 Comment

walking

How Much Exercise Compensates for Sitting at a Desk for eight Hours A Day?

Diabetes in Control August 27th 2016

At least an hour of physical activity needed to offset risk for several chronic conditions and mortality

Sedentary behavior has been associated with increased risk of several chronic conditions and mortality. However, it is unclear whether physical activity attenuates or even eliminates the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting. A new study examined the associations of sedentary behavior and physical activity with all-cause mortality.

The meta-analysis of trials involving more than 1 million individuals was reported online July 27 in The Lancet. It is one of a special series of papers on physical activity.

The Lancet notes that its first series on physical activity in 2012 concluded that, “physical inactivity is as important a modifiable risk factor for chronic diseases as obesity and tobacco.” The meta-analysis found that 1 hour of moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking or riding a bicycle, can offset the health risks of sitting for 8 hours a day. Twenty-five percent of all individuals in the study reported this level of physical activity. The study also discovered that even shorter periods of 25 minutes a day can be beneficial.

For those of us who work by sitting at a desk, it can be very difficult not to sit while we do our jobs.  But, there are still many ways to get moving, like going for a walk during lunch, or even getting up and walking over to an associate to hand them a note instead of sending an email.  There are many ways to get in your physical activity.

According to the researchers, the data from more than a million people is the first meta-analysis to use a harmonized approach to directly compare mortality between people with different levels of sitting time and physical activity. They included 16 studies, with data on 1,005,791 individuals (aged >45 years) from the United States, Western Europe, and Australia.

Researchers divided the study participants into four groups based on their reported levels of physical activity: <5 min/day; 25-35 min/day; 50-60 min/day; and 60-75 min/day.

Researchers noted that, “Among the most active, there was no significant relation between the amount of sitting and mortality rates, suggesting that high physical activity eliminated the increased risk of prolonged sitting on mortality.” But as the amount of physical activity decreased, the risk for premature death increased.

Researchers found prolonged sitting associated with an increase in all-cause mortality, mainly due to cardiovascular disease and cancer (breast, colon, and colorectal), noting that, “A clear dose-response association was observed, with an almost curvilinear augmented risk for all-cause mortality with increased sitting time in combination with lower levels of activity.”

Compared with the referent group (i.e., those sitting <4 h/day and in the most active quartile [>35·5 MET-h per week]), mortality rates during follow-up were 12–59% higher in the two lowest quartiles of physical activity (from HR=1·12, 95% CI 1·08–1·16, for the second lowest quartile of physical activity [<16 MET-h per week] and sitting <4 h/day; to HR=1·59, 1·52–1·66, for the lowest quartile of physical activity [<2·5 MET-h per week] and sitting >8 h/day). Daily sitting time was not associated with increased all-cause mortality in those in the most active quartile of physical activity. Compared with the referent (<4 h of sitting per day and highest quartile of physical activity [>35·5 MET-h per week]), there was no increased risk of mortality during follow-up in those who sat for more than 8 h/day but who also reported >35·5 MET-h per week of activity (HR=1·04; 95% CI 0·99–1·10). By contrast, those who sat the least (<4 h/day) and were in the lowest activity quartile (<2·5 MET-h per week) had a significantly increased risk of dying during follow-up (HR=1·27, 95% CI 1·22–1·31). Six studies had data on TV-viewing time (N=465 450; 43 740 deaths). Watching TV for 3 h or more per day was associated with increased mortality regardless of physical activity, except in the most active quartile, where mortality was significantly increased only in people who watched TV for 5 h/day or more (HR=1·16, 1·05–1·28).

In conclusion, the researchers emphasized that high levels of moderate intensity physical activity (i.e., about 60–75 min per day) seem to eliminate the increased risk of death associated with high sitting time. However, this high activity level attenuates, but does not eliminate the increased risk associated with high TV-viewing time. These results provide further evidence on the benefits of physical activity, particularly in societies where increasing numbers of people have to sit for long hours for work and may also inform future public health recommendations.

In another study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology in August, they found that sedentary behavior may be associated with diabetic retinopathy.  The analysis included 282 participants with diabetes. The average age was 62 years, 29 percent had mild or worse DR, and participants engaged in an average of 522 min/d of SB. The author found that for a 60-min/d increase in SB, participants had 16 percent increased odds of having mild or worse DR; total PA was not associated with DR.  “The plausibility of this positive association between SB and DR may in part be a result of the increased cardiovascular disease risks associated with SB, which in turn may increase the risk of DR.  In order to prove a cause and effect of SB and worsening DR s larger study would be needed.”

Practice Pearls

  • Inactivity is linked to a decreased production of certain hormones.
  • We need to break up periods of sitting for prolonged periods with short bursts of activity.
  • Walking 5 minutes every hour can offset sitting for the other 55 minutes per hour.

Lancet. Published online July 27, 2016. Abstract Editorial How Much Exercise Compensates for Sitting at a Desk Eight Hours A Day?#848 (1)]–[www_diabetesincontrol_com_how_]-[MTExNjQyNDI1NTE1S0]–

Low carb store: Meatball bombs

kaitiscotland2 Comments

 

meatballs

This recipe makes four bombs and they each have 4g of carbohydrate.  We have meatball recipes separately on this site.

 

Ingredients

  • 120g grated mozzarella
  • 65g almond flour
  • 2 tbsp full fat cream cheese
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/2 tsp dried herbs
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 cooked meatballs
  • 8 tbsp passata

Pre-heat the oven to 180c and prepare a baking sheet with a layer of greaseproof paper. Put the mozzarella and cream cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds – stir. Add the egg and almond flour and mix to a dough. Divide into 4 equal parts and flatten out gently with the palm of your hand. Place a meatball in the centre of each circle and top with a good dollop of passata and a sprinkle of mozzarella. Bring the sides up and around the meatball and squeeze together at the top to form a parcel. Crush the garlic clove and melt with the butter. Spoon the butter over each of the bombs and sprinkle with herbs. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Devour immediately.

Jovina cooks Italian: Fresh tomato sauce

kaitiscotland4 Comments

Summer Tomatoes | jovinacooksitalian

Fresh Tomato SauceIMG_0009

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pounds of fresh Roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded retaining as much pulp as possible
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large sweet onion, finely diced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 2 large cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (chili)
  • 1-2 teaspoons honey, if needed

Herbs

Place the following  herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tie the cheesecloth closed.

  • 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme
  • 1 sprig of fresh oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs of parsley

Directions

Pour the olive oil into a large stockpot over medium heat.

Add the onions, celery, garlic and carrots.

Saute for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the tomatoes and sea salt.

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Simmer on low heat, covered, for about an hour until the tomatoes cook down.

Remove the pot from the heat and using an immersion blender, process the mixture until smooth.

Return the pot to the heat and add the herb cheesecloth package.

Taste the sauce to see if the tomatoes were too bitter. Add the honey, if needed.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook  until reduced and thick, an hour to an hour and a half more. Remove the cheesecloth package and discard.

IMG_0011

Pour the sauce into a refrigerator container and store the sauce up to 1 week, or freeze in batches.

This sauce can be used with courgette or squash spiralised  “spaghetti” or with chicken and pork.

Book Review: Are you looking forward to Christmas… or just wanting to survive it?

kaitiscotland4 Comments

Rick Phillips, one of our fellow bloggers, has enjoyed reading Lene Anderson’s book Chronic Christmas, which gives some tips for the less enthusiastic among us on how to make the best of Christmas.

happy-christmas

| November 20, 2016 | General, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes | 13 Comments

capture_313x480I was so excited to hear about Chronic Christmas Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic  Illness.  It came to me at exactly the right time of year, and I was in the mood for some fun and practical advice about the holiday season.  When this book arrived in the mail, I was excited to see what Lene might share to help me find that contentment and excitement about the holiday season.  As a person with choric conditions, I sometimes have difficulty getting into the season.  Lene’s words helped me discover some reasons I feel out of step with the rest of the world and gave me practical advice about how to overcome some of my barriers.

Lene shares such wonderful tips for slowing down and basking in the goodness of the holiday season.  Her writing style is easy; her essays are well conceived, and the result is a partial guide to managing the Christmas season with a good touch of fun.  She manages to capture the season in short bursts of narrative that can make even the grumpiest old man find his inner goodness.  Here are a few chapters that especially spoke to me.

December 2, Pace Yourself When Eating.

As a person with diabetes, I often feel left out of the annual celebrations because I see others enjoying food while I enjoy the Television.  In this chapter, Lene reinforces the well know notion that the holidays are not about the food.  Rather they are about who is eating the food.  Her chapter gives me permission to enjoy those who are at the gathering instead of the food at the gathering.   I think it is sometimes difficult for people with diabetes to know this and Lene approached the subject in a way that offers constructive tips.  For instance:

“Moderation is key, Instead of five pieces of Candy stick to one (okay, two).” (Andersen, 2016, p. 7).

“Instead of four glasses of eggnog, have one per occasion and drink sparkling water or tea for the rest of the evening. And so on. You won’t feel deprived. And you won’t stand out as that one person who’s nibbling on a lettuce leaf, making the other guests feel bad for scarfing down everything in sight.” (Andersen, 2016, pp. 7-8)

chronic-christmas-back_314x480December 8, Say Hello

Lene reminds us that we need not remain isolated because we have a chronic condition.  She suggests we try an experiment to break out of our shell.  She suggests that on December 8 we leave the book or earphones at home and practice looking up and out at the world.  She suggests we should look at and marvel in the crowds as they pass by.  She reminds me that people watching is both entertaining and a great way to connect to the world at large.  (Andersen, 2016).  This is great advice for the many times we feel isolated or somewhat alone in the world.  After all, connection is what the holiday season is all about.

For the person who cares about the person with a chronic condition Lene suggests that they offer a drive or a trip to a coffee shop to help people get out in the world.  She suggests:

“Chat with each other, but reach out to others as well. The people at the next table, the clerk, a security guard. Slow down, take the time, exchange a few words. You could very well make someone’s day and you might meet someone really interesting” (Andersen, 2016, p. 35).

These are terrific ideas for helping both ourselves and others.  In fact, opening up during the holidays might make everything brighter.  Lene’s advice gives us the reminder that we need not be isolated while others are engaged in the business of the season.

December 21 – Celebrate Disasters

For me, this was the best advice of the book.  When we celebrate disasters, we have a built in mechanism to make sure things go right.   I love how Lene starts this chapter:

“What do you remember from past Christmases — the times everything went according to plan or the moments when imperfection snuck into the celebrations? We work so hard to make the holidays perfect, but that’s not what makes for enduring family legends. You know the type — the ones that get told and retold, with everyone talking over each other, adding details, and laughing together. Those stories always originate in disasters” (Andersen, 2016, p. 93)

I totally agree with her observation.  The real stories of the season are the ones that revolve around disasters.  So I took this chapter as the best advice I received from Lene’s’ book.    This year, I vow to celebrate the many disasters in my life past, present and future. I will take time to celebrate this year: the time the lock was frozen on the storage barn where I stored the Christmas presents or the time the cat climbed/knocked over the Christmas tree because doing so can prolong the celebration of the season.

So how do I feel about Lene’s book?  I loved it.  You can pick it up on Amazon or Barnes and Noble along with some other retailers.   It is a great gift for those who love people with chronic conditions or those of us who live with chronic conditions.  I am glad I treated myself to this book, and I hope you will as well.   Reading it is way too much fun to miss.

References

 Andersen, L. (2016). Chronic Christmas Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic  Illness. Toronto Two North Books

 

Related Posts

About The Author

Rick Phillips

Rick Phillips has Type 1 diabetes (since 1974) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (since 2000), he resides in Indiana with his wife Sheryl. In addition to RADiabetes his blogs can be found at http://www.CreakyJoints.org and http://www.TUDiabetes.org

13 Comments

      1. Sam Moss November 20, 2016 Reply

        Really helpful & timely post Rick. I’ve shared on a couple of support group. Thank you & I hope you & your family have a happy & blessed Christmas
        Sam xx

          • Rick Phillips November 21, 2016 Reply

            It is a great book. I hope Lene sells a bunch of them.

      1. Cathy November 21, 2016 Reply

        I loved this book too. #21 is the best, isn’t it?

      1. Karen November 22, 2016 Reply

        Sounds like a great read, Rick. Thanks for sharing!!

      1. Emma November 24, 2016 Reply

        Thanks Rick – this does sound like a useful read.

          • Rick Phillips November 24, 2016 Reply

            It is Emma, It is avialabel on Kindle, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

      1. Lisa Ehrman November 29, 2016 Reply

        Thanks for sharing this post/book review at Together on Tuesdays. This book seems perfect for those of us with chronic illnesses.

          • Rick Phillips December 1, 2016 Reply

            Lisa, it is my pleasure. I think if you pick it up you will not be disappointed.

      1. Carla Kienast December 9, 2016 Reply

        Hi Rick: It’s been great getting to know you these last few months. Thanks so much for everything you do for our community. I hope that you and your family have a wonderful holiday season. I look forward to spending more time with you in 2017!

          • Rick Phillips December 9, 2016 Reply

            Thank you for the kind comment Carla. It has been a wonderful pleasure getting to know you as well. I think 2017 is shaping up to be a wonderful year.

      1. kaitiscotland December 10, 2016 Reply

        I would love to reblog this article. Is that okay?

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Over 60 with high LDL? : So what?

kaitiscotland3 Comments

maxresdefault

If you are over the age of 60 it’s time to stop fretting about your total cholesterol and low density cholesterol levels. Unless perhaps the levels are on the low side. Indeed total mortality rates are at least the same and usually better if your cholesterol levels are high.  Many doctors now believe it is the PATTERN of different lipid levels that is much more important, particularly high triglycerides and low HDL.

This systematic review tells the story:

Lack of an association or an inverse association between low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality in the elderly: a systematic review — Ravnskov et al. 6 (6) — BMJ Open

BMJ Open 2016;6:e010401 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010401

Orthopaedic surgeon who wants to reduce amputations silenced by regulatory body

kaitiscotland2 Comments

fb_BPhotography_Belinda-Fettke_No-Fructose_Gary-Fettke_LAFM_Fairsies-Fat-Busters.jpg

It would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic. Gary Fettke, a Tasmanian orthopaedic surgeon has been banned from talking to patients about the nutritional changes they can make to prevent amputations.

His wife, a nurse, tells his story here:

 

http://www.nofructose.com/gary-fettke/

 

Gary’s presentation on you tube is here:

 

 

 

 

Low carb store: Steak au poivre

kaitiscotland2 Comments

sirloin steak

 
  • 2 beef steaks
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 60mls Cognac
  • 100ml double cream

 

Preheat oven to 180°c. Season the steaks with sea salt and allow to come to room temperature.Coarsely crush the peppercorns and press into both sides of the steaks evenly.Heat a heavy griddle pan (preferably cast-iron) over moderately high heat until hot,then carefully add the oil. Add the steaks and cook to your liking turning only once. Transfer the steaks to a warm plate to rest. Pour off the fat from the pan then add the shallots and half of the butter and cook over low-medium heat until the shallots are well-browned.Add the Cognac (it may ignite!) and boil, stirring, until the liquid has reduced to a glaze (a few minutes). Add the cream and any meat juices from the steak plate and boil, stirring occasionally for a further 4-5 minutes. Add the remaining butter and cook over a low heat until the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Serve sauce with steaks and lightly cooked vegetables.