Chicken Cottage Pie

Chicken Cottage Pie. Don't you love a meal you can assemble the day before and pop in the oven the next evening for a relaxing dinner? I do! And it's versatile, so if you're out of one thing just add that amount of something you do have. I was out of celery this time, so I just doubled the red bell pepper and added 1/2 teaspoon celery seed to make up for it. 

It's great when you're craving Chicken Pot Pie but don't have the time or energy to make the pastry and rest it in the refrigerator for an hour before rolling it out. Or, if you're like me and this time your craving for mashed potatoes is surpassing your craving for pie crust. 

I do love my comfort food! Even in warm weather, in which case I might just serve the chicken filling over mashed potatoes and forego running the oven.

What are some of your favorite comfort foods? I'd love to know. And I hope you'll give this a try and let me know how you like it.

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Chicken Cottage Pie 

(Makes one 2-quart pie or four 2-cup pies)

The Potato Topping

2 pounds (32 ounces/907 grams) russet potatoes
4 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces/57 grams) grated Cheddar

The Chicken Filling

2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounce/14 grams) unsalted butter
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2/3 cup diced carrots

8-ounce (227 grams) package mushrooms, halved and sliced

1/4 dip-and-sweep cup (1.25 ounces/35 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) brandy or dry sherry

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) lower sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) heavy cream

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) milk

2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce/30 ml) dry sherry, optional
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme 

3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 Pare the potatoes and rinse and quarter them. Put the potatoes in a 2-quart saucepan and add cold water to cover and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

2 In the meantime, prepare the filling. In large skillet,* heat the olive oil and cook the chicken (seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper) until done. Cool and dice the chicken.

* I used my All-Clad 5112 Stainless 12-Inch Fry Pan (in the first photo), which can go right into the oven. If your skillet can't go into the oven, you can make your pie in a 2-quart baking dish (I sometimes use an 8x8x2-inch Pyrex dish). Or you can make 4 individual pies in small 2-cup baking dishes.

3 While the chicken is cooling, add butter to the same skillet (do not wash that skillet!) and sauté the onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrots for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Stir in the chicken broth, cream, milk, brandy; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in the chicken and peas. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide mixture among four 14-ounce ramekins (or put it in one 2-quart/8x8x2-inch baking dish).

4 When potatoes are done, drain completely, cover and set over low heat for half a minute to dry thoroughly. Remove from heat, mash, add butter and continue mashing. Stir in milk, salt, pepper and grated Cheddar. Potatoes will be a bit looser than you would make to serve as mashed potatoes; this makes spreading easier. Smooth the top, then rough it up a bit with a fork; this promotes browning. 

5 Cover and refrigerate until 1 hour before serving time. Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Uncover and bake for about 40 to 55 minutes. (You won't need to bake it that long if you're not making it ahead and refrigerating it.) Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean 

Swedish Meatballs - For Now or Later - Homemade Freezer Meals

Swedish Meatballs is one of our favorite meals, but a bit of a faff for just one or two meals for two; so I added it to my list of favorite recipes to add to my "streamlined cooking" repertoire.

It doesn't take much longer to make a double batch and divide it amongst five 3-cup lidded glass storage dishes, making five—yes, five!—meals for two to pop into the freezer for future busy-day dinners.

I served the first of my freezer stash over rice with a salad on the side. Also great with noodles or mashed potatoes. It's wonderful having homemade food with the convenience of frozen foods!

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Some of my other freezer meals are: Shepherd's Pie, Salisbury Steak, and Stuffed Shells. I'm always trying to think of meals that might freeze well.

Do try it and let me know how you like it. AND please tell me about any meals you make ahead and freeze. I like to have variety in my "frozen food section" at all times. (Ohhh, and I just realized, this is Delightful Repast's 14th blogiversary!)

 

Swedish Meatballs  

(Makes about 70, 10 main-dish servings) 

The Meatballs 

About 4 slices good white or sourdough bread (4 ounces/113 grams) for 1 1/2 packed cups breadcrumbs 
1/2 cup (2 3/4 ounces/80 grams) finely minced onion
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2/3 cup (5 1/3 fluid ounces/151 ml) milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) lean ground beef
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) ground pork

The Sauce 

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter
6 tablespoons (1 7/8 ounces/53 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 ml) lower sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/114 ml) heavy cream
Garnish: sour cream and chopped dill 

1 Use food processor to make perfect fresh breadcrumbs. Cut slices of good white or sourdough bread into four to six pieces. You only need to remove the crust if it's coated with seeds. Process until it becomes breadcrumbs. Don't worry about overdoing it; it's pretty foolproof. You should have 1 1/2 cups, fairly firmly packed. Add crumbs to a 3- to 4-quart mixing bowl. 

2 Cut a small piece of onion into a couple of chunks and use the food processor (no need to clean the bowl) to finely mince the onion. Sauté in oil until soft. Add to bowl. 

3 Add salt, pepper, allspice, milk, eggs and Worcestershire sauce to bowl. Mix well. Add ground beef and ground pork, and mix well. Just use one impeccably clean hand to mix, if you like. Put mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before shaping meatballs.

4 Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. Using a #60/0.5-ounce/1 tablespoon scoop, scoop out all the meatballs (makes 70) and place them on an 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan (10 rows of 7). Then go back and roll each one into a smooth round ball and place back on the sheet. Bake for 30 about minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

5 In 12-inch skillet, melt butter. Stir in flour, cooking and stirring to make a smooth, browned roux. Don't rush it; get the roux browned. Add beef broth and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and cream. If serving immediately, transfer meatballs to sauce and heat on low for 10 minutes.

For freezer meals: Choose your lidded glass storage containers suitable for the number of servings you need. I use five of these 3-cup lidded Pyrex dishes and put 14 meatballs in each. Divide the sauce among the dishes. Put on the lids, cool, chill, then freeze. To serve, get one out of the freezer the night before and put it in the refrigerator to thaw; heat in the microwave (lid removed) or in a small pan on the stove. Plate and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of dill. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

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Sesame Noodle Salad

Sesame Noodle Salad is the perfect dish for end-of-summer picnics and potlucks since it is good at any temperature. If it's fresh out of the refrigerator, I figure it is good—from a food safety standpoint—for three hours at room temperature. Get out your big bowl for this recipe; it makes a lot!

If you're taking a lunch to work, this is perfect. Just divvy it up into glass storage containers of whatever size matches your appetite, and you're all set for the next four days.

I love mung bean sprouts but left them out of the recipe because they are not always readily available. And to go main-dish with this salad, it is wonderful with slices of chicken breast. 

For years I've seen similar salads called "Asian" noodle salad. I avoid that since I like to be very specific, down to not just a country but often a region of a country or even a city, if possible. With Chinese soy sauce, Japanese toasted sesame oil, and Italian spaghetti, I thought I'd better just call it Sesame Noodle Salad!

 

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Sesame Noodle Salad

(Makes 12 to 16 servings)

The Dressing

(Makes 1 1/2 cups—you'll have extra)

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) fresh lime or lemon juice

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) red wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less, depending your heat tolerance)

The Salad

8 ounces (227 grams) whole grain spaghetti (I like Barilla)

1 12-ounce (340 grams) package Broccoli Slaw (mostly shredded broccoli)

1/2 10-ounce package (5 ounces/142 grams) shredded carrots

1/2 large English cucumber (to make 5 ounces/142 grams julienned)

1 medium red bell pepper (to make 5 ounces/142 grams julienned)

1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) lightly salted dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

A handful of chopped cilantro leaves

Optional: 3 green onions (scallions), green part only, thinly sliced

1 In a 2-cup glass measure, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside to "meld" while you make the salad. You might even make it the day before.

2 In a 3-quart saucepan, bring 6 1/2 cups of water with 3/4 teaspoon of salt to a rapid boil. Add the spaghetti and cook a minute past package's "al dente" instructions. I cooked the Barilla whole grain spaghetti for 8 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold tap water, drain thoroughly, and put it in a 4-quart mixing bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the dressing.

Note: If it's still available when you're reading this, there is a fabulous deal on the lidded bowl and glass measuring cup sold together!

3 I know the packages of various prepped salad things say things like "thoroughly washed," "ready to use," "triple washed." But I'm a little too fussy to take their word for it. AND giving them a wash and spin hydrates and freshens them up for your salad. So do that to the broccoli slaw and shredded carrots, or not—I won't judge—and add them to the mixing bowl along with another 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss to combine. 

4 Add the remaining ingredients and more dressing, reserving at least 1/4 cup that might be needed at serving time (the pasta absorbs a lot, and you don't want a dry salad). Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours. Any leftover dressing will not go to waste; it's delicious on any salad. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Enchilada Casserole - Enchilada Cazuela

My Enchilada Casserole came on the heels of a binge of enchilada making. I made multiple batches of cheese enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, shredded beef enchiladas.

 
Then after a break from all that, I found myself craving enchiladas again, but not craving that much work. I mean, it's easy enough to roll a dozen enchiladas, but it can get a bit tedious.

I have a natural inclination to make things that take a lot of time, but I have other things I want to do with my limited time and energy right now, so I sat myself down and gave myself a good talking-to ...

... about streamlining, simplifying, coming up with ways to get the flavors I'm craving with less time and effort. The result, this Enchilada Casserole. Made with ground beef. Carne molida. One step.

And I decided to use a couple of other busy-day timesavers, frozen chopped onions and canned diced green chiles. Of course, you're welcome to chop your own onion and chiles, but remember, I was streamlining! 

I couldn't compromise on the sauce though, and homemade is really not that much trouble. It's a pretty basic and simple sauce that packs a lot of flavor. And you can adjust it however you like. If a canned sauce has too much of something for your taste, you can't do anything about it.

Do you love casseroles?

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Enchilada Casserole

(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

The Beef

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) ground beef (I use organic grassfed 85% lean)

1/2 cup frozen chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 4-ounce (113 grams) can diced mild green chiles

The Sauce

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons (27grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon oregano

3 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) tomato paste 

2 1/2 cups (20 fluid ounces/591 ml) lower sodium beef or chicken broth

The Enchiladas

10 ounces (283 grams) cheese, shredded (I use half jack and half medium cheddar)

9 6-inch white corn tortillas

4 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 In large skillet, cook the ground beef, breaking it up and browning it well. Remove the fat from the pan by your favorite means: covering pan with lid and draining it off, tilting the pan and spooning it out with a large metal spoon, or using a turkey baster. Then add the onions and salt, and cook for a few minutes. Then stir in the diced chiles. Remove from the heat.

2 In another skillet or wide saucepan, melt the butter and blend in the flour, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and oregano. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth and fragrant. Whisk in the broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer. When it begins to bubble, continue cooking and whisking for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thickening. Remove from the heat. 

3 Spread 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) of the sauce in a lightly greased 11x7x1.5-inch baking dish.

4 Heat a griddle (my square griddle can cook 2 tortillas at a time), put 2 little 1/2 teaspoon puddles of oil (about the size of a quarter) on the hot griddle. When oil is hot, lay down the 2 tortillas and cook for about a minute, turning them several times. Repeat to lightly cook all 9 tortillas. Stack them neatly and cut in half. 

5 Dip each tortilla half in the sauce as you assemble the casserole. Place 4 halves with cut edges against the long sides of the baking dish and then 2 halves down the middle. Top the first layer of tortillas with 1/3 of the meat mixture (about 1 cup), then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Make second layer of tortillas, meat, and cheese. For the third layer, tortillas and meat, then pour over the remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Cover and refrigerate until an hour before baking time.

6 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Bake for about 45* minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, or sliced green onions. Serve with Mexican Rice, Pinto Beans or Refried Beans, and Broccoli Salad.

* If you're baking the enchiladas right after assembling them, just bake them for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Ham and Mushroom Quiche - Foolproof All-Butter Pastry Tutorial

Pie crust is my "thing," and I make it by all sorts of methods, depending on my mood: food processor, stand mixer, by hand in a bowl, by hand on the worktop, with a pastry blender, with a bench scraper, with my fingers, you name it. Sometimes with water, sometimes milk or soured milk or buttermilk, sometimes egg, sometimes baking powder, vinegar or lemon juice. But always with unsalted butter. I love an all-butter pie crust. 

At one time or another I've made pie crust with shortening, part shortening and part butter, lard, part lard and part butter, even oil. But nothing is better than butter. I've been on a pie kick lately and decided my fingers needed a break, so I'd use the food processor. But I was itching to try something different, and I remembered that I'd heard years ago of a different food processor method but never got around to trying it. So, I adapted my usual (well, most usual) two-crust recipe to that method. And ...

I liked it! So, we've been eating lots of pies around here. Then I decided it had been far too long since I'd made a quiche and, working with what I had on hand, came up with my favorite quiche yet! Ham, onion, red bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, cheddar cheese. You can make substitutions, as long as you keep the total add-ins to not more than 2 cups of cooked items. Otherwise, you won't be able to use all the custard filling, no matter how high you fluted your pie shell; and you know how much I hate food waste!

Rather than tell you here what is so different about this flour-butter paste method, I'll invite you to read the directions for it below. And let me know what you think. Have you tried this method? If not, do! And make the quiche while you're at it. Don't know why, but springtime always seems like the right time for quiche!

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Ham and Mushroom Quiche & Foolproof All-Butter Pastry

The Pastry

(for two pie shells or one double-crust pie)

2 1/2 dip-and-sweep cups (12.5 ounces/354 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces/227 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

5 tablespoons (2.5 fluid ounces/74 ml) ice water plus 1 tablespoon (0.5 fluid ounces/15 ml) apple cider vinegar

The Quiche

(makes one 9-inch quiche)

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

8-ounce package (227 grams) mushrooms, chopped 

3/4 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) julienned ham

1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/38 grams) chopped onion

1/4 cup (1.25 ounces/38 grams) chopped red bell pepper

1/2 medium zucchini (3 ounces/85 grams) sliced

3 large eggs

1/2 + 1/8 cup (5 fluid ounces/148 ml) heavy cream

1/2 + 1/8 cup (5 fluid ounces/148 ml) milk

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 packed cup (4 ounces/113 grams) cheddar (or ...) cheese, shredded

1 Weigh (my kitchen scale) and measure flour, sugar, and salt in 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds to "sift." With food processor's metal blade in place, scoop out half (1 1/4 cups) the flour mixture into the work bowl of the food processor (another 11-cup food processor). Spread the butter slices evenly over the fairly even flour mixture. Pulse until no dry flour remains and mixture is starting to form clumps of dough, about 25 to 30 one-second pulses. Don't get hung up on counting the number of pulses, just watch for the clumping to begin. With a silicone spatula, spread dough evenly around the work bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining flour and pulse until the dough is just barely broken up, about 5 1-second pulses.

 

2 Transfer the dough back to the 2- to 2.5-quart mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes or so before proceeding. Sprinkle the dough with the water-vinegar mixture and use the spatula to fold and press the dough until it comes together into a ball.

3 Turn the dough out, dividing onto two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten each slightly into a 4- to 5-inch round disk. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. You can even freeze the dough, wrapped well, for up to a month. To defrost the dough, move it from freezer to refrigerator for one day before using it. Let thoroughly chilled dough stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes for easier rolling.

Note: If you're making two pie shells, make the disks the same size. If you're making a double-crust pie, make one disk a little larger for the bottom crust. For a 9-inch double-crust pie (I always use the classic 9-inch Pyrex pie plate), I roll the bottom crust into a 13-inch circle and the top crust into an 11-inch circle. 

4 For single-crust pie: On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick. Transfer the dough to the pie plate, pressing the dough (but not stretching it) to fit the pie plate, getting down into the corners, with a half- to one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors, and save in case you need to patch a little hole after the blind baking). Cover with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes before fluting the edge. Cover and return to refrigerator while the oven heats up. Preheat oven to 375F/190C/Gas5. Line chilled pie shell with a square of foil and fill with pie weights (baking beans, in UK). I use two boxes of ceramic pie weights that store neatly in a 200-gram Twinings tea tin. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove pie weights. Prick the pastry bottom all over with a fork. Bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown. 

For double-crust pie: On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the bottom crust dough to 13 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick. Transfer the dough to the pie plate, pressing the dough (but not stretching it) to fit the pie plate with a half- to one-inch overhang (trim with knife or scissors). Cover with the reserved piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out top crust dough to 11 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch or so thick and place it on a rimless baking sheet; cover with reserved plastic wrap and refrigerate. Make pie filling. Then assemble pie and bake as directed. 

And now, to the quiche!

5 In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the mushrooms, ham, onion, and bell pepper, adding more olive oil as needed. Use 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and all the marjoram. Be sure all the liquid has evaporated. Cook the zucchini slices separately. Let cool a bit.

6 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Into the fully baked pie shell, put a third of the cheese, half of the ham and vegetables (except the sliced zucchini), a third of the cheese, other half of the ham and vegetables. Pour in the filling. Top with the remaining cheese and the zucchini slices. Set on a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Bake for about 50 to 70 minutes, or until it tests done. A slight wobble in the center is fine, but it should not be wet. The reason there's quite a time range given is because of the variables: your oven, how well cooked (moisture removed) the vegetables were, and so on. 

Note: It's always good to keep an aluminum pie crust shield handy in case your edges are overbrowning.

7 Let quiche stand for 20 to 25 minutes before slicing and serving.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees at no cost to you by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is one of those classic dishes that seems to go in and out of fashion. It is said to have been invented in 1891 by French chef Charles Briere while in the employ of a Russian household. 

The first recipe for Beef Stroganoff in an English language cookbook was in 1932. It became very popular in the US after World War II, then again in the 1960s and at other points over the years. And it appears to be having a moment now, at least at my house. 

Various cuts of beef can be used for the dish to suit different budgets and schedules—meaning the less expensive cuts require longer cooking. I didn't have time for extended cooking to tenderize a cheaper cut, and since I was only making it for two, I used a boneless beef ribeye steak. If you really want to push the boat out, tenderloin or filet mignon is a good choice.

I decided years ago to cook the steak whole and then slice it—rather than the usual slice-and-then-cook method—for two reasons: 1. It's too easy to overcook those slices, and 2. searing the whole steak develops better browning for great fond and flavor without the risk of overcooking and toughening that expensive beef. If you're using a tougher cut that requires long cooking, slice the steak before browning. 

When was the last time you made Beef Stroganoff? As with other dishes I love, I tend to forget about it for a while and then make it frequently for a time, then it seems to "fall out of rotation" until it occurs to me again. I'm making it again this week!

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 Beef Stroganoff

(Serves 2 or 3)

1 12- to 16-ounce (340 to 454 grams) boneless beef ribeye steak, trimmed of excess fat

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided (including noodle cooking water)

3/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided

1/4 cup diced or sliced yellow onion

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 of 12-ounce package (4 ounces/113 grams) wide egg noodles

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) brandy

1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) lower sodium beef broth

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil to thoroughly preheated skillet, continue heating until oil shimmers, and cook the patted dry, salted (1/8 teaspoon) and peppered (1/4 teaspoon) steak to medium rare; it will cook further after being sliced and added to the sauce. Remove to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. 

2 In 2- to 3-quart saucepan, start boiling 1 quart of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

3 Drain off most of the fat from pan, and add onion, cooking for about 5 minutes. Add butter, mushrooms, 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, slice the rested steak about 1/8 inch thick across the grain; set aside. And stir the noodles into the rapidly boiling salted water; cook for length of time specified on the package.

4 Sprinkle the flour over the onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Stir in the brandy and beef broth and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until thickening. Stir in the tomato paste and mustard.

5 Just before serving, stir in the sour cream, then the sliced steak. Cook over low heat just long enough to get heated through and steak to be to your preferred doneness; do not overcook and toughen the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning.

6 You can either add the cooked and drained noodles to the stroganoff or add the teaspoon of butter to the drained noodles and serve the stroganoff over a bed of buttered noodles. Garnish with minced fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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