comfort foods Archives - The Midnight Baker

Oven Cube Steak

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 00:00:26 +0000

Oven cube steak is one of those recipes that is so simple, that you’re amazed how delicious it is.

Easy Oven Cube Steak

I’m here to say this is one of the easiest recipes I ever made. Incidentally, I was a bit dubious that something so simple and with so few ingredients could be so darned good. That’s something I never seemed to learn either.

Since it’s winter and running the oven isn’t such a bad thing, I really encourage you to try this. It has a rather long cook time, but don’t let that fool you. This cube steak is tender, juicy and amazingly delicious.

Start With A Good Stock

The tastier your stock, the better this meal will be.

If you make your own stock starting with roasting/browning the bones, that’s an excellent choice. I’ve done it and I won’t lie–it’s time consuming. However, you end up with a finished product where you know exactly what’s in it. You can’t beat that.

Most times I don’t have the inclination nor the time to make my own. Yes, even with an Instant Pot which speeds up the process. Fact is, I got pretty lazy in my old age and mostly use stocks that are available in the supermarket. There are many good ones. And even though I’m pretty frugal, this is one place where I don’t pinch pennies with a store brand. If it’s labeled “rich stock,” believe it. It’s good. I often use the concentrated ones referred to as “bases.” They have a long shelf like and if you buy ones made with real chicken or beef, they’re comparable to your own homemade.

Add Ins

The original recipe on Just A Pinch had nothing added in. It was just the steaks and gravy.

Since I love mushrooms and had some baby bellas in the fridge, I added those. Of course if you hate mushrooms, don’t add them. But onions would be nice and some peas or carrots would make the meal complete.

The Recipe

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Oven Cube Steak

The very best cube steak you'll ever eat.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cube steak recipes, cube steak with gravy

Servings: 4

Calories: 719kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs beef cube steak
8 oz fresh mushrooms thickly sliced
2 tbs oil divided
32 oz beef stock
3 tbs butter

Seasoned Flour:

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F/180C
Mix all seasoned flour ingredients. Reserve 1/4 cup for thickening.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Dredge cube steaks in the seasoned flour and brown on each side--about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate when browned.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Saute the mushrooms until they start to get brown. Remove them from the pan.
To the same pan, add the butter and let it melt. Whisk in the reserved flour so you get a nice smooth paste--this is called a roux. Let the flour and butter cook for 2 minutes so the flour cooks.
Whisk in the beef stock and stir until it begins to thicken.
Place the cube steaks and mushrooms in a 13x9-inch/3L oblong pan. Pour the gravy over the steaks/mushrooms, then cover with foil and bake for 2 hours.

Video

Nutrition

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Anthony Bourdain’s Beef Bourguignon

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 07 Mar 2021 00:00:56 +0000

This is Anthony Bourdain’s famous beef bourguignon. And it’s worth all the effort.

A Timeless Classic

Beef stew or beef bourguignon, is the quintessential comfort food since it’s warm and delicious. As a result, there’s many recipes for it as well as cooking methods.

This one comes from the one-and-only Anthony Bourdain. And who knew more than he about great cooking? I was a huge fan of his and when I saw his recipe in a recent Washington Post edition I had to make this.

This recipe leans more toward the French than the American. It does contain one ingredient that some may not find on the shelf at their local grocery, but it is an optional ingredient. However, I do urge you to use it and I will give a source for it.

Demi Glace

This is the optional ingredient. There are shortcut methods to making it and even substitutions. This is one instance where I say don’t bother making it–buy it. If you live in a larger metro area, it’s likely you’ll find this in the aisle where stocks and broths are or where browning sauce and gravies are located. I bought mine off of Amazon and it was pretty reasonable. It also has many uses and it’s shelf stable so it won’t go bad.

It does add a special something to this bourguignon so I do encourage you to use it. However, the stew will taste awesome even if you don’t.

Onions?

No, it’s not a typo. This recipe uses four, yes four onions.

But here’s the scoop. They all cook down and actually thicken the sauce. It sounds ridiculous, I know. But that’s what happened. Even a good friend who is not “into” onions didn’t detect any overpowering flavor and in fact, she loved this stew.

The Recipe

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Copycat Anthony Bourdain's Beef Bourguignon

This stew is worth all the effort

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 30

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: anthony bourdain beef bourguignon, burgundy beef, demi glace, gourmet beef stew

Servings: 6

Calories: 452kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lb boneless beef shoulder or chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil divided
4 medium onions halved and thinly sliced
2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup red burgundy wine such as pinot noir
6 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic
1 bouquet garni a tied bundle of herbs, typically thyme, bay and parsley
Water
Demi-glace optional
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Thoroughly pat the meat dry with paper towels and generously season it with salt and pepper.
In a Dutch oven over high heat, heat half of the oil until shimmering. Working in several batches, and without moving the meat much, sear the meat on all sides until well browned, adding more oil as needed. (If you try to cook too much meat at once, it will steam and turn gray instead of brown.) Once the meat is well browned, transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the onions and any remaining oil to the pot. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onions have softened and turn golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and, using a wooden spoon, stir, scraping up all the browned bits (fond) off the bottom of the pot.
Once the wine starts to boil, return the meat and its accumulated juices to the pot, and add the carrots, garlic and the bouquet garni. Add 1 1/2 cups of water (and about 2 tablespoons of demi-glace, if you have it). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the meat is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours, skimming off any foam or oil that might accumulate on the surface. Check on the stew every 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching or sticking.
As you check on the stew, continue adding 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup water, as needed, up to 2 1/2 to 3 cups total — to ensure there is enough liquid to cook down and concentrate. If the stew begins to stick, reduce the heat to low. The onions should fall apart, creating a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat.
When the stew is done, discard the bouquet garni, taste the stew and season with more salt, if desired. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.

Video

Nutrition

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Ham And Broccoli Cheese Soup

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 00:00:32 +0000

This soup is the best of both worlds. If you love broccoli cheese soup and cream of ham and potato, you’ll love this.

It’s Soup Weather

In the winter, my thoughts turn to soup for dinner since it’s a warm bowl of comfort on cold days.

This ham and broccoli cheese soup fills the comfort bill many times over. It combines two of my favorite cream soups–cream of broccoli cheese and cream of ham and potato. Another good thing about this soup is it uses up bits and pieces you may already have on hand already. I used up the last of my New Years ham, the remains of a bag of chopped broccoli and that bit of shredded cheddar I had in the deli drawer.

Have A Souper Super Bowl

As many of us are aware, the Super Bowl is right around the corner and if you’re having a little party you’re thinking of food for that.

In addition to that big crockpot full of chili, why not have a big crockpot full of this soup as well? Even though this ham and broccoli cheese soup isn’t made in the slow cooker, you can use the cooker as a buffet server because of the warm setting. It offers another choice for those who are not fans of chili.

It’s Easy Too

The surprising part of this soup is how quick and easy it is. There’s no “all-day” cooking involved here. From start to finish it should only take about 30 minutes. But don’t let that on to anyone who raves about the great flavor. Let that be your secret!

I always use heavy cream in my cream soups because it tastes wonderful and an old chef friend once told me that heavy cream is a must in a cream soup. That may sound redundant, but I got what he meant. You don’t need much and it’s worth it. Honest!

I like cream soups pretty thick, but if you don’t, omit the thickening.

The Recipe

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Ham and Broccoli Cheese Soup

A soup that's a meal

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy cream soups, main course soups, soups with leftovers

Servings: 4

Calories: 570kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 cups diced cooked ham
3 tbs chopped onion
2 tbs butter
1 cup diced red potatoes or yukon gold
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese white preferred
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp pepper

Thickening:

1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or stock pot. Add the onion and cook until it's translucent.
Next add the potatoes, broccoli salt, thyme, basil, pepper and chicken stock. Cover, reduce heat and cook until potatoes are just tender; about 10 minutes.
Mix the thickening ingredients well so there's no lumps (thinkening is optional) and whisk into the soup. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to cook the flour.
Stir in the cream and shredded cheese. Simmer until cheese melts.

Nutrition

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