BEEF ENTREES

aka REAL FOOD FOR REAL MEN

BEEF STROGANOFF

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound beef tenderloin sliced about 1/4" thick and cut into 2" lengths, rolled into 1/4 cup flour seasoned with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, sliced then cut in half (making long lengths)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
Another 1/4 cup butter to saute' onions, garlic & mushrooms
2 Tablespoons flour
3/4 cup (approximately) beef bouillon
2 Tablespoons Sherry
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon tomato paste (if you can buy this in a tube that you keep in the fridge, great)
1 cup sour cream

PROCEDURE:

Saute' floured beef slices in 1/4 cup butter about 2 minutes on each side.  In the other 1/4 cup butter, separately saute' vegetables about 5 minutes.

Combine beef and begetable drippings and add to drippings the rest of the ingredients (except for the sour cream).  Simmer, stirring, several minutes to cook down the drippings.

Add the sour cream slowly, stirring continuously, and simmer 2-3 minutes, but DO NOT BOIL.  A little "gravy magic" gravy coloring may be added (optional)

Add the beef and begetables to sauce, and simmer 3 more minutes.  DO NOT BOIL.

Serve over egg noodles (tossed with 1 tablespoon butter, melted)
with a nice salad and a green vegetable.

3 IN ONE HAMBURGER BASE
HAMBURGERS/CHILI/SLOPPY JOES

NOTE:   Chili and Sloppy Joes are made with the same basic start, but then a few important differeneces really changes things.  The base itself can be made into hamburger patties and grilled.

BASE: 

1 Large Chopped Onion (Vidalia preferred), chopped coarse
2 Pounds Ground Chuck or Ground Round
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar (either wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

If making hamburger patties, at this point, form and freeze them. 
If making Sloppy Joes or Chili, saute' the onion and celery in the bugger til tender.   Add beef and brown. Add rest of ingredients and simmer (covered) 30 minutes.

FOR CHILI:

Hamburger 3-In-One Base
2 cans Chili Beans in sauce (not "Hot" for my family at least)
1 cup (at least) Catsup
1/2 to 1 cup Tomato Juice or Beer (totally to your taste...I use the beer)
2-3 teaspoons Chili Powder OR the seasoning packet from Carroll Shelby's 3 to 1 Chili Mix
1/4 cup Masa Powder (included in the Carroll Shelby packet or available in the Hispanic Grocery section)

Keep simmering for about 30 more minutes.   Right near the end, add Masa Powder to thicken and adjust seasonings to taste.

FOR SLOPPY JOES:

1 chopped green bell pepper (this is the magic that completely changes the taste to Sloppy Joes)
1-2 cups catsup (add until it looks red and is the right consistency)
1 tablespoon (more) Brown Sugar
Hamburger 3-In-One Base

Simmer about 10 minutes.  If it is too thick and sticking, add a little beer.  This SPLATTERS so be sure to keep slightly covered.   Serve on Hamburger buns, onion rolls or kaiser rolls...NEVER white bread.   This freezes GREAT and the leftovers taste even better than new!

MEATLOAF & VARIATIONS

You may as well know that I have probably never made meat loaf the same way twice, so any pretense that this "recipe" is anything more than an estimate at proportions to give you a hand on your first few attempts would be a sham.  Nevertheless, here are some tried and true suggestions.   Most of my cooking is like this, in reality, in that I change a little of this and a little of that at every time to adapt it to the taste of my tablemates or to some ingredients that currently intrigue me.  It's called comfort in your kitchen. It's remarkably freeing....try it!

THE MEAT

About 1-1/2 pounds of:

Ground Chuck or Ground Round
Ground Beef, veal, pork combo pack
Any combination of above you like

THE ESSENTIALS (NO MATTER WHICH VARIATION YOU WILL DEFINITELY      NEED THESE)

2 Whole Eggs
1-2 Onions, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup copped bell pepper (optional)

PROCEDURE

ASSEMBLY:

REMEMBER -- JUST HAVE FUN!!

AUTHENTIC GREEK PASTITSIO
From an old Tallahassee Landmark: Patronis' F & T Restaurant

Long ago when we first came south, we used to comfort ourselves with the only ethnic food then available in Tallahassee (something that didn't come with grits).  Mike Patronis used to run his family's restaurant righ downtown on Monroe Street, a few blocks down from the Capitol.  His mom would come in to cook her famous pastitsio on Wednesdays only and it was served only until what she had made ran out, so it was a rush to get there on Wednesdays to get our share.  When Mike decided to retire, Mrs. Patronis gave me her restaurant sized recipe.  I continue to make it, although I do divide the portions into several aluminum foil pans to be frozen and pulled out on a rainy day.  Greek Pastitsio is sort of like a Greek lasagna with cinammon laced meatloaf sandwiched between layers of macaroni and cheese and a rich layer of yummy fluffly sauce on top.  This is by far the best of itss kind.

MEAT LAYER:

3 pounds ground chuck (that is three pounds)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
cinammon (I use more than Mrs. Patronis because it enhances the greek taste - start with about 1/2 teaspoon and then just add for taste)
1 small can tomato paste
2 small cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup Red Wine
1/4 cup water
up to 1 stick of butter depending on the leanness of your meat

Brown meat with onion, garlic and butter (if needed).  When brown, sprinkle with pepper, salt and cinammon.  Then add wine, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Let cook (covered with top askew so steam escapes but tomato splats don't) for one hour on low heat.

MACARONI LAYER:

1 pound large elbow macaroni
5 egg whites (save the yolks for the sauce that follows below)
2 whole eggs
1 stick melted butter
1 cup cream sauce (see below)

Cook macaroni in salted water.  Drain when al dente and return to the pot after draining.  Add egg whites and eggs, butter and cream sauce.  Mix well.

CREAM SAUCE:

1-1/2 quart milk
1-1/2 stick butter
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 cups cornstarch
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cups milk
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup parmesan cheese

Heat milk, butter and 1 teaspoon salt.  Mix remaining ingredients and add to heated milk and butter.  Continue heating, stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of the parmesan, reserving the rest for the assembly step.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Use a turkey roaster (aluminum foil) or divide recipe for 2 DEEP 8" x 8" pans.  Sprinkle pan bottom with parmesan. Spreal half of the macaroni mixture.  Sprinkle with parmesan.  Spread meat mixture evenly over the macaroni.  Sprinkle with parmesan.  Spread rest of macaroni over meat layer.  Sprinkle with parmesan. Spread cream sauce evenly on top.  Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Freezes well (after baking). 

EASY BEEF WELLINGTON
This recipe is more of a list of ingredients you assemble than something you cook according to a list of ingredients.  We first tasted it at a restaurant in the original Underground Atlanta and have used it ever since, with the quality of the components changing but the spirit remaining.  We think about it as quicky beef wellington.  :)  I give you the method of construction for one, and you simply multiply by the number being served, one per person.

COMPONENTS:

1 Filet Mignon, grilled to perfection and sized appropriately to the diner (I prefer Omaha Steaks       6 oz. filets)
1 one inch slice of french bread baguette, buttered and grilled on each side
1 slice pate de fois gras (this used to be the hard part cause you had to make your own pate,      but these days you can buy pate with truffles in your local grocery, so just choose whatever      type you like )
Bernaise Sauce (optional)  use Knorr packaged powder and follow directions for the easiest ever      Bernaise

ASSEMBLY:

Spread the toasted/grilled baguette slice (which should be slightly larger than the filet) with the pate' generously.  Top with the beautiful freshly grilled Filet Mignon. 

Serve immediately with a baked potato, a green steamed vegetable (snow peas are a nice touch or a little bundle of steamed asparagus for company) and a lovely chilled spinach and mushroom salad with raspberry vinaigrette.   Obviously, serve with red wine. 

CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE
                THE ONLY ONE WORTH EATING

This early Julia Child recipe is seriously good, especially when you realize what the alternative tastes  (and SMELLS!) like.  Let's face it -- Irish cuisine isn't all that unless you like soggy, boiled food.  This is anything but that.  It is succulent and so delicious, stink-free, and not greasy.  Don't be tempted to just leave out the cabbage...prepared this way it is delicate and tender.  And the mustard sauce? Just say yes.

STAGE ONE: THE BOIL

1 corned beef, about 5 pounds (buy "mild-cured" which doesn't need to be soaked to remove excess salt)
2-3 leeks, cut in half lengthwise, then washed carefully and cut into chunks (30 minutes to cook)
4 large carrots, peeled then cut into bite size chunks (30 minutes to cook)
6 potatoes, peeled then quartered (45-50 minutes to cook)
2-3 canned or home made beef stock or beef boullion plus 1 12-oz. can of Beer

A crock pot works best for this recipe, but you can also do it on the stovetop. 

Covering it with the Beef Stock, simmer the brisket of beef 3-4 hours, adding beer if needed to keep the beef covered.  Add the vegetables (except cabbage) according to the time noted that is needed to cook each.   Be sure to leave 15 minutes of rest time before serving.

STAGE TWO:  THE CABBAGE

1 head cabbage

Cut the cabbage into wedges (like cutting a pie but straight through), removing core.  Place wedges curved side down in colander or sieve and set that in a saucepan over 1-1/2" of the beef stock/beer mixture from the corned beef pot; baste the cabbage with more of the stock, season with salt and pepper; cover tightly and steam for about 15 minutes, until just tender. NOTE: Do this while the other vegetables and brisket are resting.  If anything cools before serving, just give it a minute in the microwave.

STAGE THREE: THE MUSTARD SAUCE WITH CREAMY

2 cups stock from the corned beef pot (thoroughly degreased)
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch, blended with 1/4 cup white wine (or vermouth)
salt, pepper
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Boil stock rapidly in sucepan until it is reduced by half.  Meanwhile, blend mustard with a little cream, then a little more, then all of it and stir it into the reduced stock.  Boil slowly to reduce by about a third; remove it from heat and blend in starch mixture.  Simmer 2-3 minutes more.   Sauce should be lightly thickened.  Remove from heat and add spices and parsley.  It tastes like heaven. 

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