Mushroom Stroganoff with Cube Steak

My darling husband asked me to make beef stroganoff.  My first instinct was to run screaming from the house. I'm not a big fan of old-fashioned comfort foods. I also didn't really have the ingredients on hand. I used to go shopping like everyday and that has gotten really, really old and tiresome. So now I've decided to adapt recipes to ME! YEAH! We are also trying to eat less meat. One - the prices are really getting out of control. Two - too much meat is just not that healthy. Three - Ferdinand is not that healthy; his body does not digest meat very well. So, I had a great idea. More mushrooms, less meat. Keep all the flavor.

Mushroom Stroganoff with Cube Steak

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cubed steaks (use small ones)

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2 onion, thin sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cups beef broth

3 tablespoons butter

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed with fingers

1 pound sliced mushrooms, any type

1/4 cup sour cream, or more to taste

cooked egg noodles, for serving

Instructions

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Cube steak, in my neck of the woods, is very lean, so you may need a little more oil; you don't want anything sticking, but you do not want a lot of unneeded oil either.

Brown steaks on both sides. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onions begins to soften and becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the beef broth, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the beef is fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours or so. I'm sorry, but nobody likes a tough cube steak. Nobody. Also, if it gets too dry, add water. And by dry, I mean dry. You will only want something in the neighborhood of a 1/2 cup of liquid at the end of cooking.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cayenne, rosemary,  and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir mushrooms into the steak mixture, then stir in the sour cream. Taste for seasoning and if needed add a tiny bit of water so you have some gravy.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Serves 4.

 

Don't Get All Happy

I'm not really going to be able to write something every day, so don't get all happy. I'm just getting my feet wet, as they say. They say a lot of things, don't they? Funny that I say I am getting my feet wet because I do maintain another blog. It is mostly just recipes - not much writing. Not that I am writing, this is more like sharing thoughts, but you get the gist.

So, I am currently training my husband to be a normal human being. He, of course, thinks he already is a normal human being. I beg to differ. Yesterday, he actually called me at work to tell me he liked his dinner (its working!). So much so, that he wanted to be sure I saved the recipe (me? save a recipe?). I did, but it did not have any cumin in it. So, instead, I'll present you with one of our favorite dishes. It is a Cuban dish. It's also relatively inexpensive because it is made with cube steak. I know, I know.  Trust me, this is a good way to make cube steak.

I have a photo, but have not posted it yet.

Cube Steak With Cuban Lime Mojo 

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

About This Recipe 

Cube steak is marinated in a garlicky citrus-lime sauce for a short time, then quickly braised. Serve with boiled potato and choice of vegetable, if desired.

Ingredients 

• 8 garlic cloves 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• fresh ground black pepper 
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 limes) 
• 1/2 cup orange juice 
• 1 1/2 lbs round steaks or 4 cube steaks 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1/2 sweet white onion, sliced thin 
• 1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin strips 

Instructions

Smash and peel garlic and place in a mortar; sprinkle with salt and let sit for 5 minutes to soften the garlic. Use the pestle to form the garlic and salt to a paste; in a small bowl, combine the garlic paste, oregano, cumin, pepper, lime juice and orange juice. Place the steaks in a single layer in a baking dish; pour the marinade over and let sit about 20 minutes.

Heat a skillet over high heat, add oil, and cook the onions and peppers, while stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes; remove to a bowl.

Place steaks into the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook another 2 minutes. You will probably have to do this in two batches.

Return the onions and peppers, along with the steaks, to the skillet, cover, and cook another minute.

Place steaks on a serving plate covered with the onions and peppers.

If desired, you can cook the marinade for a couple of minutes and spoon that over the steaks.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 (287 g) Servings Per Recipe: 4 Amount Per Serving % Daily ValueCalories 403.4 Calories from Fat 209 52% Amount Per Serving % Daily ValueTotal Fat 23.3g 35% Saturated Fat 8.2g 41% Cholesterol 124.1mg 41% Sugars 4.6 g Sodium 681.0mg 28% Total Carbohydrate 11.6g 3% Dietary Fiber 1.0g 4% Sugars 4.6 g 18% Protein 36.4g 72%