Of the thousands of recipes out there that use ground beef as a base staple, it’s safe to say that this will likely be your favourite from now on. This mix is a great budget conscientious dollar extender. It feeds many at no great expense.
Seriously brown a half pound of ground beef (fresh, not frozen, preferably), in a bit of butter in a heavy pot, on medium high heat.
Constantly stir the beef but let it stick to the pot a little so it really browns well, scraping the bottom of the pot, as the ground beef cooks. You don’t want to overcook the beef. When it’s not pink, it’s done.
Remember that browned butter takes on a really nutty flavour.
Add a pinch of salt and a little pepper and just a sprinkle of grated nutmeg.
Add a tablespoon of beurre manié that you have prepared mashing equal parts of butter and flour. This is a rare occasion when I use flour.
Gently work the manié into the well-browned beef. I stress well-browned, because it so affects the flavour. Less than well-browned lacks the outstanding taste, so be sure it’s nearly toasted, because you are using medium high heat, but you don’t want crispy beef. Again, that produces a less desirable end product.
This process will completely thicken with no lumps. Gradually stir in three cups of well-seasoned homemade chicken stock. Turn the heat down to low.
Add a cup of scalded cream and gently stir, scraping any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pot. You want thick yummy sauce but not gooey. It must be able to pour. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. The sauce will continue to thicken in its own heat until served.
This fabulous meat sauce gravy will become an instant favourite at your house.
Ladled over mashed, whipped potatoes, you will have to control your senses not to overindulge. Be sure to make more than enough potatoes. There won’t be leftovers.
This mix is also a great base for baked pot pies.
You simply can’t believe how simple this is to prepare. Everyone from big baby to old grandpa will ask for this meal many times, again.
Here are some additional gourmet edits for this basic recipe:
You can wilt (sweat) a little finely minced onion and stir it into nearly finished sauce, but be careful because the onion can overtake the gentle beef flavour. Use only a teaspoon, perhaps.
For a spectacular gourmet different touch, stir in a little Dijon mustard, or a little fresh grated horseradish.
Try a little oven-roasted mashed garlic added while the sauce is still hot, if your family enjoys a little extended creativity.
This recipe keeps well if anyone is late arriving to the table. But the best way to reheat is using a bain-marie, to keep the consistency.
Spoon the sauce over the mashed potatoes just prior to serving. Any of your favourite vegetables as an accompaniment will work well.
When my children were growing up, this was a family favourite and one that I ate in basic form regularly.
Not unlike Ina Garten, I too grew up not being allowed in the kitchen. It was my mother’s domain.
The works in progress, although simple and certainly not creative gourmet by any definition, always smelled wonderful and everything tasted great, but beneath the surface I wanted so much to be there.
Occasionally I was permitted to “stand back” and watch. She seemed to find it curious that a child might be interested. And then there was the possibility that a hair might arrive uninvited into the kitchen. Never.
I replicate her style of never leaving a mess in the kitchen. I don’t recall ever seeing a messy kitchen. It’s so much easier to clean up as you go and it adds no extra time at all to the experience. In between checking out the MLS and replying to emails, it is multi-tasking at its finest.
Preparing your own meals really takes no longer than sitting in a drive-through or standing in food checkout lines. It’s all about being organized and assigning bits of preparation to other family members occasionally.
So to this day I enjoy being in the kitchen, more than any other part of the house, testing and honing new ideas, changing up and mixing in the old.
In addition:
This sauce is also yummy served over wide egg noodles al dente.
A side serving of scorched white button mushrooms, cooked once over lightly in real butter, in very hot skillet and sprinkled gently with dry thyme, will definitely turn this dish into gourmet fare.
Mushrooms should never be covered when cooking. You don’t ever want rubbery mushrooms.
They are very porous and you want the mushrooms to retain their firmness. I can’t bear to watch Martha Stewart cook mushrooms. Totally over done.
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Likewise, served over homemade spaetzle. Use a little extra salt, after the spaetzle is cooked completely.
Keep the spaetzle warm till serving. Serve with steamed broccoli pieces and baby carrots.
Careful not to overcook fresh spaetzle. It will get tough and chewy. Remember that most things continue to cook in their own heat, once removed from the flame.
Tent with tinfoil over serving bowl but don’t seal in the steam. Allow the spaetzle to breathe. Just before serving, drizzle with a little hot melted butter, and toss to coat. Finely minced fresh parsley adds a nice decorator touch.
The working title for Carolyne’s Gourmet Recipes cookbook is From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen: A Canadian Contessa Cooks. This kitchen-friendly doyenne has been honoured and referred to as the grande dame of executive real estate in her market area during her 35-year career. She taught gourmet cooking in the mid-70s and wrote a weekly newspaper cooking column, long before gourmet was popular as it is today. Her ebook, Gourmet Cooking – at Home with Carolyne is available here for $5.99 US. Email Carolyne. Scroll down to the comments at each recipe column. Carolyne often adds complimentary “From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen” additional recipes in the Recipes for Realtors Comments section at REM.
