BBQ'ed Steak with Mango Salad, Bean Salad and Rice

After an evening out the night before, the festivities for the dog's fifth birthday (actually the date of his adoption - he is a troubled neurotic rescue but that is another story) are subdued. "It's not like baking him a cake would do any good," notes Drew turning a blind eye to Raul dispensing yet more treats into the rapacious birthday boy's jaws. The lunch of pasta fagiole had provided the dog with a feast of leftovers (bits of pasta and sausage) but his wide tragic eyes play on Drew's emotions. "What are we having for dinner?"

"I don't know," says Raul. "I haven't thought that far ahead."

"We do have mango salad and bean salad in the fridge. That's practically a meal right there."

"We should add a protein. What's in the freezer?"

Drew rifles through the packed freezer and considers several options before settling on an inside round steak that he had purchased, 30 percent off because it was just about to reach its "best before" due date, and frozen several weeks ago. "I could thaw this," muses Drew. "It probably just needs a little marinade to liven it up."

"No wasabi," warns Raul.

Drew runs the steak under warm water and as soon as it is pliable he places it in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. After a applying a shake of salt, a heaping of pepper, a slathering of Mrs Dash and celery salt on each side of the steak, Drew douses it with red wine, covers it and leaves it to sit. "Add garlic," advises Raul. So, even though the dog reacts badly to garlic, Drew adds a teaspoon of chopped garlic and admits that it is much more aromatically appealing.

Raul makes rice in the rice cooker and then grills the steak and plates the food. The steak is not as tender as hoped - "Too well done," says Raul pointedly; "Always happens when it's been frozen," rejoins Drew - but the combo of flavours is intoxicating. Drew leaves a good helping of steak and rice for the dog who gobbles it up and begs for more. Two more helpings of rice go down the gullet of the ravenous birthday celebrant. "He is happy enough he could probably have been made to wear a party hat," thinks Drew aloud.

"No party hats," states Raul. "Especially on a helpless dog."