It is that time of year when braised meats and stews just sound wonderful.  This week, my local grocery store had beautiful cubed veal available, so I created this simple-to-prepare, make-ahead, one-pot stew that is great reheated on a week night but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 pounds boneless veal shoulder, cut into 2” pieces
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• ½ tsp. each oregano, salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a shallow dish sprinkle the flour over the veal cubes then coat the meat lightly.
3. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until it is nearly smoking.  Season floured meat with salt and pepper, add to hot pot and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.  If your pot isn’t wide enough to accommodate all the meat in one layer, brown in two batches.  Place cooked veal on a platter and reserve for later use.
4. In the same pot the meat was seared in, add the onion and cook over medium-high heat until softened and slightly golden, about 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.  If the onion-mushroom mixture becomes dry while cooking, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and lower the heat to medium.
5. Add the Dijon mustard, the oregano, the broth and the wine to the onion-mushroom mixture and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
6. Return the veal and its juices to the pot, add the cream, stir well to combine all the ingredients and place in the oven.  Cook for 3 hours.

Serves 4.

Notes:  The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Serve over white rice or egg noodles.

I know beef Wellington is pretty old-school, but I love recreating these types of recipes and I find that my guests really enjoy them – either for the first time or for the first time in a long time.

Although beef Wellington looks fancy and difficult to make, it is not, even for novice home cooks.  The dish is beautiful to present to special guests but straight-forward enough to make on any weekend night.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 ½ pound piece of beef tenderloin, patted dry with paper towels
• 1 tsp. each salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 large shallot, fined minced
• 1 pound Cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. each salt and freshly cracked pepper
• ½ tsp. dry thyme
• 4 ounces mousse of duck foie gras (1/2 an 8-ounce container)
• 1 sheet from a 17 ¼-ounce frozen puff pastry box, thawed
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour for dusting when rolling out the pastry
• 1 egg, scrambled

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large frying pan, heat oil over high heat.  Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the surface of the beef and add to the hot pan.  Sear on all sides until deeply browned, about 5 minutes total.  Remove beef from the pan (reserve pan for later use) to a platter and allow to cool completely.
3. Melt butter in the reserved large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and thyme to the shallots and sauté until completely softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from heat, and allow to cool completely.  Drain any liquids that might have been released from the mushrooms and pat the mixture well with paper towels.
4. Add the mushroom mixture and the foie gras to a food processor and pulse until nearly smooth with a few small pieces, about 1 minute.
5. Spray an unrimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.  Place a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet, ensuring it adheres to the cooking spray.
6. Unfold a puff pastry sheet on a floured work space.  Using a rolling pin, lightly roll the pastry to enlarge the rectangular sheet by 2 inches in each direction.  Move the pastry to the baking sheet by rolling it over the rolling pin.
7. Place the tenderloin in the center of the pastry and spread the mushroom / foie gras mixture over it, patting down the mixture with your hand to ensure it coats the beef completely and evenly.  Fold the pastry over the beef and seal all the seams – there will be extra pastry that needs to be cut away using a sharp knife.  Delicately, turn the pastry-wrapped beef over so that the seams are beneath the Wellington.  Cut a few slits on the pastry top and brush the Wellington with the egg mixture.
8. Bake 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees for 5-10 additional minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the tenderloin is a few degrees short of the desired doneness.  Let the Wellington rest for 5-10 minutes then slice into 4 portions with a serrated knife.

Serves 4.

Notes:  This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 8.  Don’t like or want to use foie gras?  Simply replace with softened butter.  Serve this dish with mashed potatoes and pepper / Béarnaise sauce.

Today’s a rainy, gloomy day where I live and weather like this always causes me to crave a warm, hearty soup.  While at the grocery store, I found beautiful center cut beef shanks that screamed to be used to make beef mushroom barley soup.  Here’s the simple recipe for this comforting dish.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 pound beef shanks
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped into small dice
• 5 celery ribs, chopped into small dice
• 1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
• 2 32-ounce cartons of beef broth
• 1/4 cup dry Marsala wine or white wine (optional)
• 3/4 cup barley, rinsed in cold water
• 4-inch long piece of Parmesan rind

Directions:

1. Pour the oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat, and heat up for 30 seconds.  Add the beef shanks in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.
2. Add the onion and celery to the beef in the pot, reduce heat to medium-high heat and cook the vegetables for 4 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and cook and additional 3 minutes.
3. Add the spices, the broth and the wine, if using.  Bring the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes.
4. Add the barley and the Parmesan rind, if using, to the pot and simmer partially covered for another 30 minutes over low heat.

Makes 4 servings.

Notes: If you can’t find beef shanks, simply replace with easy-to-find beef bones.

Although I’m originally from Quebec, I grew up in South Florida where the weather can be interesting at times.  I’ve gone through hurricane preparedness more times than I care to remember, so when Hurricane Irene made its way to the northeast where I now live, it was business as usual at my home.

While chips, dips, nuts and candy can be great when you’re boarded up, ‘real’ food can be a nice treat.  The night before the hurricane was to visit us, I made a simple and fast-to-prepare chicken dish in my slow cooker that was easily reheated on my grill in a pot after we lost power the next day.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 of a 750 ml bottle dry Riesling
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. each salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in an 8-quart slow cooker (Crockpot).  Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
2. Serve over white rice.

4 Servings.

Notes: If you like a thicker sauce, simple combine a teaspoon of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water in a dish and add to the sauce.  Turn slow cooker to high and cook for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Don’t want to spend time making your own chicken stock?  This is a simple and fast way to make a hearty chicken soup using supermarket shortcuts.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped into small dice
• 4 celery ribs, chopped into small dice
• 3 carrots, chopped into small dice
• 8-ounce package of fresh, sliced mushrooms
• 1 tsp each, salt, pepper, dry thyme
• 1 small plain deli chicken, meat pulled off the bones and chopped into bite-size pieces
• 48-ounce can chicken broth
• 1/4 pound dry spaghetti, broken into thirds (2-ounces of pastina works great also)

Direction:

1. Over medium-high heat, in a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil for 30 seconds.  Reduce heat to medium, and add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften, stirring frequently.
2. Add the mushrooms and the seasonings and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the vegetable mixture and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the broth, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add the pasta to the soup and cook for 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes:  In step 3, you could replace the deli chicken with boneless and skinless chicken breasts that you’d poach in the broth for 30 minutes.  You’d then simply remove the cooked chicken from the soup and chop into bite-size piece that you’d return to the pot.  A neat variation to this soup is to add a 28-ounce can of chopped tomatoes at Step 3.

Gnocchi with Butternut Squash

Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)?  Thought I’d share some of the recipes I’ve made recently that have earned me rave reviews.

5 recipes to treat your Valentine to:

1. Gnocchi with Butternut Squash and Bacon in Sage and Danish Blue Cheese Sauce
2. Porcini Mushroom and Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
3. Ragu alla Bolognese (Bolognese Sauce)
4. Grilled Salmon in Grape Leaves
5. Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Whichever dish you decide to prepare for your loved one(s) this Valentine’s Day, I hope your meal is paired with love.

Veronique

Thai Soup

Soup is a favorite at my house and I try to make it most weekends.  Thought I’d share some of the soups I’ve made recently that have earned me some rave reviews.

5 Simple Soups to Try this Winter:

1. Butternut Squash & White Asparagus Bisque
2. Cremini Mushroom Velouté Soup
3. Chunky Tomato-Basil Bisque
4. Tom Ka Gai (Thai lemongrass and coconut soup)
5. Cream of Leek and Celery Soup

Let me know which soup you end up trying!  Stay warm,

Veronique

Cremini Mushroom Veloute Soup

This soup is super simple to make and looks like it took all day to prepare.  Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp dry sherry or Marsala
• 16 ounce can of beef broth
• 32 ounce can vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream + 6 tsp of heavy cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion and celery in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms to the vegetables and stir mixture.  Add thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until all the vegetables are softened.
3. Add the sherry or Marsala, the beef and vegetable broth and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add the 1/2 cup cream and heat up for 2 minutes.
5. Working in 2 batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.   Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and gently heat for 2 minutes.
6. To serve, warm 6 tsp cream in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Ladle soup into bowls then drizzle 1 tsp warmed cream onto the soup in each bowl (optional).

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course.

Note: Can’t find cremini?  Replace with chopped portabella or white mushrooms.  For extra richness, add 3-4 veal neck bones to the onion and celery when sauteeing.

• 5 Tbs. butter
• 1 1/2 cup onions
• 1 1/4 pounds small mushrooms, quartered
• 1 1/4 cups cream
• 2 Tbs. dry sherry
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 12 ounces penne
• 1/4 cup parsley
• pamersan

Melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add onions and sauté 8 minutes.  Add mushrooms and sauté 6 minutes.  Add cream, sherry, thyme, and cook until sauce consistency, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste.  Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.  Toss sauce and pasta.  Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan.

4 Servings.

• 4 medium to large fresh portabello caps
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
• 1/2 small onion, finely diced
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup fried, crumbled bacon
• salt
• 8 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place the portobello caps, gill side up, in a large baking dish and bake 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.  Add shiitakes, onion, and corn; sauté until mushrooms are limp and corn is tender, 3-4 minutes.  Add pine nuts and bacon and stir well.  Season to taste.  Be sure to season well, making it a little salty.

Remove mushrooms from oven and evenly divide shiitake mixture among the four caps, smoothing surface.  Make sure caps lay as flat as possible.  Crack 2 eggs on top of each mushroom.  Return dish to oven and bake until eggs are done to your liking.

4 Servings.