Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 whole piece of fillet of beef, preferably the middle part (about 2 lb)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup butter or oil
1 small glass brandy
1 bay leaf
1 pinch thyme (optional)
salt
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 oz fresh mushrooms, or 1-1/2 tablespoons dried mushrooms, soaked in water, squeezed dry and sliced
mushrooms and parsley to garnish

Method

1. Put the beef in a bowl, add the white wine, and leave to marinate overnight.
2. Melt in a pan half the butter, add the brandy, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to taste.
3. Add the onion and cook slowly until golden.
4. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until done. Set aside.
5. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade, and make an incision along the narrow side with a sharp knife.
6. Stuff with the mushroom mixture, seal the two ends with 2 pieces of meat from the inside of the fillet, and tie the meat with string to keep the stuffing inside.
7. Brown the fillet on all sides over high heat in the remaining butter or oil, baste it with some of the marinade, cover the pan, lower the heat, and continue cooking for about 40 minutes — or less, according to taste.
8. Alternatively the fillet may be cooked in the oven. Baste with the cooking juices from time to time.
9. Serve the steak sliced, with the cooking juices, and garnish with whole mushrooms sauteed in butter, and parsley.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The Cook’s Book

---

Today’s Comic

Braised Sweetbread with Saffron

Ingredients

1 veal sweetbread (pancreas, or “heart”)
1 lemon
all-purpose flour, for dusting unsalted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced or diced
1 glass of sweet white wine
6 tbsp chicken stock
generous pinch saffron strands
6 tbsp heavy cream
salt
black pepper

Pasta

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 free-range eggs
3 free-range egg yolks
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt

Method

1. Make the pasta. Mix all the ingredients by hand or in a mixer to make the dough. Let rest until needed.
2. Put the sweetbread in a pan of cold water, add salt and the juice of half a lemon, then simmer for about 7 minutes. Let cool.
3. Drain the sweetbread and trim off all the sinew, then break it up into nuggets. Dust in a little flour and then panfry over medium-high heat in 1/2 tablespoon butter and the oil until golden.
4. Remove the sweetbread nuggets and set them aside, then drain the excess fat from the pan.
5. Place pan over medium heat and add a knob of fresh butter, then the shallots and carrots. Sweat for a few moments, then deglaze the pan with the wine, and boil to reduce.
6. Add the chicken stock, saffron, and cream, then put the sweetbread nuggets back in the pan and simmer gently until fully cooked, basting and turning frequently. Check the seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon if necessary.
7. Roll out the pasta dough and cut it into ribbons. Cook in plenty of boiling water, then drain and toss in a little butter.
8. Serve the sweetbread in deep bowls with the pasta and plenty of the rich creamy sauce.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

---

Today’s Comic

Char-grilled Steak Sandwiches

Ingredients

4 (80 g each) 1 cm-thick beef rump or topside steaks
4 thick slices bread
olive oil, for brushing sea salt
salad leaves, to serve
cracked black pepper
1/4 cup store-bought caramelised onion relish

Garlic Mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup store-bought whole-egg mayonnaise

Method

1. Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Make the garlic mayonnaise, combine the garlic and mayonnaise and set aside.
3. Brush the steaks and bread with a little oil and sprinkle the steaks with salt. Place on the barbecue or char-grill and cook for 1 minute each side or until the bread is toasted and the steak is cooked to your liking.
4. Place 2 slices of the bread on serving plates and spread with the garlic mayonnaise. Top with the salad leaves, steak, pepper, caramelised onion and remaining bread slices and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Fast, Fresh, Simple

---

Today’s Comic

Veal Scallopine with Capers

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound thin veal scallopini (less than 1/4-inch thick)
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1-1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons drained small capers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Stir together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then pat veal dry and dredge in flour, knocking off excess. Arrange, as coated, in one layer on a sheet of wax paper.
2. Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over high heat until hot, then add oil and heat until it shimmers.
3. Cook veal in 2 batches, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 2 to 2-1/2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
4. Discard oil from skillet, then add butter and cook over medium heat, shaking skillet frequently, until browned and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Stir in vinegar, capers, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
6. Return veal to skillet just to heat through, then sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Gourmet Italian

---

Today’s Comic

Standing Rib Roast

Ingredients

One 3-rib prime rib roast (about 6 pounds), ribs removed and tied on end of roast
2 to 3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

1. About 1 hour before roasting, remove the roast from the refrigerator so that it can reach room temperature.
2. About 25 minutes before roasting, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Make slits in the meat with the tip of a small knife. Insert a garlic slice into each slit.
4. Place the roast in a roasting pan on a roasting rack and sprinkle it with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.
5. Roast the meat for about 1 hour, or 15 to 18 minutes per pound. Check the temperature of the meat after 50 to 55 minutes. For very rare meat, it should register 125° to 130°F. For medium-rare, roast the meat 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until the temperature is 140°F. For well-done meat, leave the meat in the oven until the thermometer registers 160°F.
6. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes. Its temperature will rise about 5° during resting.
7. Cut the strings that hold the ribs on the roast. Set the ribs aside. Carve the meat into slices and serve. The ribs can be served alongside the meat for anyone who likes them, or you can use them to flavor pan gravy.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Source: Lobel’s Prime Cuts

---

Today’s Comic