Monthly Archive for February, 2010

My Valentine’s Day gift to you- an impressive and simple meal to show the one(s) you love that Valentine’s Day is not just a night out at some cozy restaurant where you snagged a reservation, or some over-priced flowers, it is more than just ONE day a year and goes well beyond the Hallmark card or cute text you sent. Serve this dish with some nice crusty bread and pass it off to your special guests as if you have worked in the kitchen like a true Olympian. If you are out to impress, hit the print button and take this list to the Super Marche (as they say in France).

Hearty Steak & Portobello Mushroom Stew

Ingredients

1 pound sirloin steak, fat trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/3 cup flour
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil (using one 1 TBS at a time)
1 medium-size Yukon Gold potato, skin removed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
6 cups portobello mushroom caps, (approx 6 medium), gills removed (optional)
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
2 tsps chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper

Directions

Place steak in a medium bowl mix with flour stir to coat. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the steak (reserving excess flour) and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on the outside but slightly pink on the inside (approximately 3 minutes). Transfer to a plate and and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add the potato and cook until lightly browned. Then add mushrooms, onions and tomatoes to the same pot and cook, until the vegetables have released their juices, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the reserved flour over the green beans; stir to coat. Add green beans and stir. Then add broth, wine, thyme, salt and pepper; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the broth has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the steak and any accumulated juices and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 2 minutes.