Some days things don’t go as we plan. Imagine my horror when, after taking a bite of freshly seared steak, it tasted like freezer burn. This was no cheap cut, it was pricey and free-range from a local farmer’s market. There must have been an error in their packing, because I’ve never had this problem before.

This happened a few days ago and the cooked meat sat in my fridge, glaring at me defiantly. ‘Go on, throw me away and waste all that money,’ it seemed to sneer. I knew there must be another way, and sure enough, curry sauce came to the rescue!

As an emergency dish, the recipe is a bit slapdash – a bit of this, a pinch of that.

Ingredients:

• Green rice (here’s my version)
• Mystery meat (or beans as a vegetarian alternative)
• Veggies like corn, summer squash, potatoes – anything sturdy enough to stand up to strong flavors and some heating
• Your favorite jar of curry sauce

Directions:

• Saute the meat and vegetables in a pan until warm (mine were pre-cooked)
• Add lavish helpings of curry sauce
• Heat the rice in a pot or microwave until warm

It turned out quite nice over leftover green rice from yesterday’s meal along with the last drops of the Torii Mor 2010 Pinot Noir from Oregon – bright, tangy and almost flowery, but with a lasting finish. It was probably a little young to drink but it was delicious.

I followed it up with a flaky almond croissant filled with chocolate, mmm!

Bon appetit!