We
had left over Cote du Boeuf and decided to make Beef
Stroganoff. Robert suggested we make: A Fast Saute of Beef for Two from The Way to Cook by Julia Child. I feel the name of the dish is a bit of a
joke, yes, it is a fast saute, once you have do the 20 steps that precede it!
I wanted to feel it is healthy since it isn’t served over noodles. Making this
dish reminded me of the one that Jill used to make with her secret ingredient
of pickles! It was a warm Los Angeles night and we ate outside on our deck overlooking the city.
A
Fast Saute of Beef for Two Recipe
This
is a meal in one with beef tenderloin chunks, potatoes, and mushrooms. Do not
let the long ingredient list dismay you. It's not that difficult to make.
Prep
Time: 15 minutes
Cook
Time: 30 minutes
Total
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
The
Onions:
6
to 8 small white onions about 1 inch in diameter
1/2
cup chicken stock
A
pinch of tarragon or mixed herbs
The
Potatoes:
3
or 4 medium boiling potatoes
A
pinch of tarragon or mixed herbs
3
tbsp minced fresh parsley
The
Mushrooms:
6
to 8 large fresh mushrooms
1
tbsp minced shallot or scallion
The
Meat:
2
center-cut beef tenderloin steaks 1-1/2 inches thick, or the equivalent cut
from a piece of tenderloin
The
Sauce:
2
tbsp minced shallots or scallions
1/3
cup dry French vermouth
1/4
cup beef or chicken stock
1/3
cup heavy cream (or 1/2 cup stock blended with 1/2 tbsp cornstarch)
Other
Ingredients:
Salt
and freshly ground pepper
Butter
and light olive oil or peanut oil
Preparation:
The
Onions:
Drop
the onions into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Shave skin from the tip and
root ends, then slip off the remaining skins. Pierce a cross 1/4 inch deep in
the root ends, for even cooking. Simmer slowly in the covered saucepan with the
stock, herbs, and a little salt until tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, continue with the rest of the items.
The
Potatoes:
Peel
the potatoes and cut into 3/4-inch slices; cut the slices into 3/4-inch strips,
and cut the strips into cubes. Dry the potatoes. Set one of the frying pans
over high heat, add 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil, and when the butter
foam has almost subsided, add the potatoes. Saute without disturbing for 1
minute, swirl the pan by its handle to toss them, and leave for another minute
to sear them. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and saute over moderate heat, tossing fairly
frequently, for about 15 minutes. When lightly browned and tender, keep them
just warm, uncovered, over a pan of barely simmering water.
The
Mushrooms:
Trim
1/4 inch off the stems of the mushrooms and either wipe the caps clean with a towel or wash
them rapidly, if dirty, and dry them. Quarter them. Saute several minutes in
hot butter in your second frying pan, adding the shallots or scallions at the end, just as the absorbed
butter reappears on their surface and they begin to brown.
The
Meat:
Whether
you are using steaks or a piece of tenderloin, cut off outside fat and slice
the meat into 1-1/2-inch chunks. Dry them well before sauteing.
Midway
point:
Everything
is cooking at once except for the meat, which is lying in wait. The onions are simmering
away in their saucepan; the potatoes are sauteing. When the mushrooms are done,
turn them into a side dish.
Sauteing
the meat:
Set
the mushroom saute pan over moderately high heat, adding a little
butter and oil. When very hot, almost smoking, add the meat. Brown, tossing frequently for several minutes,
until barely springy when pressed -- the beef must be very rare because it gets a little more
cooking later. Toss it with a sprinkling of salt, and scrape it into the dish with the mushrooms.
The
Sauce:
Spoon
all but a tablespoon of fat out of the pan, stir in the minced shallots or scallions, and saute a moment; then pour in the wine, the stock, and any juices from the onions. Boil
rapidly and let reduce almost to a syrup before adding the optional cream (or
the stock/cornstarch).
Final
simmering:
Scrape
the beef, onions, and mushrooms into the pan and bring to the simmer, basting with
the sauce, just to warm the beef through without overcooking; it should be rosy
rare. Taste the sauce carefully and correct seasoning.
Serving:
Toss
the potatoes over high heat to crisp, adding a tablespoon of butter, the herbs, and parsley. Strew the potatoes over the meat and serve.
Yield:
2 servings
The Way to Cook22 by Julia
Child (Alfred A. Knopf)
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