Cajun Mac & Garlic Beef

Cook Time: ~15 Minutes

This recipe is great for a hearty dinner or for pre-prepped lunches. It combines a light and garlicky protein with a rich and creamy cheese pasta. Because who doesn't love mac and cheese? It’s simple, fast to prepare, and combines the pleasures of a clean protein with a cheat meal.

• Serves: 2-4

• Prep: ~5 minutes

• Cook: ~15 minutes

Ingredients

Garlic Beef

• Steak cubes (~800g)

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• Flat leaf parsley (~25g)

• Garlic powder (2 tsp)

• Cayenne powder (2 tsp)

• A few knobs of butter

• Olive oil

• Salt & black pepper

Cajun Mac

• Milk (~250ml)

• Cream cheese (~150g)

• Fresh mozzarella (~100g)

• Cheddar cheese (~100g)

• Parmigiano regianno (~50g)

• Pasta of choice (~250g)

• Chilli flakes

• Salt & black pepper

• Cajun seasoning mix (4 tsp)

  • To make your own:

  • Salt (1/2 tsp)

  • Pepper (1/2 tsp)

  • Garlic powder (1 tsp)

  • Onion powder (1 tsp)

  • Thyme (1 tsp)

  • Oregano (1 tsp)

  • Paprika (1 tsp)

  • Cayenne (1 tsp)

---

Notes

• Pasta: On this occasion, I used paccheri pasta because I was eating it then and there. Macaroni is a more traditional pasta to use and reheats better if you are making it ahead of time.

• Steak: Here, I used braising steak. You can also use top sirloin steak.

Equipment

• Large pot

• Large pan

• Mixing bowl

Mise En Place

• If your steak is not sliced into cubes, slice it into cubes. Throw the cubes into a mixing bowl alongside 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, chopped parsley, and cayenne. Drizzle over a healthy amount of olive oil, and mix thoroughly until the meat changes colour to a slightly orange tint. Leave aside some chopped parsley for later.

• Grate and/or slice your cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmigiano.

• If you are preparing your own cajun seasoning, mix together a half teaspoon of salt and pepper, alongside 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, paprika, and cayenne.

The Cook

Grab a large pot, fill it with salted water, and bring it to a boil. Throw in your pasta and cook for the recommended time (in my case, it was 10 minutes).

While the pasta cooks, melt a knob of butter with a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-heat pan. Once hot, quickly lay down a pan full of steak cubes and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Add a small lump of butter and some crushed to the pan, flip the steak, and cook the other side for the same amount of time. Once done, quickly mix the steak cubes in with the butter and garlic, and leave to rest.

Tip: I reccomend doing the steak cubes in at least two batches. This helps avoid overcrowding the pan, and is easier to manage because you have to flip a lot of cubes in a short space of time.

These steak cubes can become overcooked very quickly, I would lean on the side of rare.

Take another pan and put it on a low heat. Add milk, cream cheese, cheddar, and mozzarella, and the cajun seasoning. Slowly whisk the ingredients until the cheese melts. The sauce should be ever so slightly viscous and sticky. If you find the sauce is runny, keep reducing it on the low heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the cheese sauce pan. Mix everything well, ensuring the pasta is well coated.

To serve, populate half of the bowl with steak cubes and sprinkle over some chopped parsley. Fill the other half of the bowl with the pasta, topped with some chilli flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy.

If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.

Thanks for reading,

Conor