Sirloin and Mushrooms in Dijon Cream

What. A. Week. As you all know from the yummy potato dish that I served as a part of a delightful "welcome home" meal, Mr. O-P is recovering from hip surgery.  I am recovering from his recovery of hip surgery. I'd forgotten what it is like to have a newborn in the house, but my guess is that the care, the hours, the laundry, the crankiness (don't get me started), and feeding schedule are shockingly similar. Then, as I was just about ready to collapse from the exhaustion there was a water main break and we were put under a boil order. I really do wish that I'd have found out about the boil order as soon as it was put into place, but no.  It wasn't until about 6 hours later after I had happily hydrated myself with six glasses of water that I learned that drinking the water would be bad. Ten hours later, and for the next three days, my stomach reminded me of this again and again. Did I mention that, in the midst of all of this (the very day of his surgery, actually) that we got a contract on our century home on the St. Louis side of the river after being on the market for three-and-a-half years?  Can you comprehend the timing?  But I digress.

The sun is starting to peek through the clouds; the dishes that had been stacked in the sink have been run through the dishwasher. Tainted ice cubes have been dumped and replenished, I found an app of sleep noises that has allowed me to get five hours of sleep running, and cooking has commenced. Life is slowly returning to normal.

I'm refraining from starting any dish that involves a great deal of time and trouble because I have little of the former and more than my share of the latter, so simplicity is the order of the day.  This dish is easy, goes together in about thirty minutes if you do your chopping ahead, and is satisfying and delicious. I served it over toast points, but for a heartier meal, it is heaven when served on a bed of Jasmine rice. It can also be made with a variety of mushrooms in place of the steak for a vegetarian main dish. Versatile!

Sirloin and Mushrooms in Dijon Cream

5 tablespoons butter

1pound sirloin steak, trimmed, diagonally cut into thin strips*

6 ounces crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely diced**

2 tablespoons Dry Sherry

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 pieces of toast, cut into triangles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sear the meat on both sides until nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the steak to an ovenproof dish and keep warm.

Add sliced mushrooms to the skillet and sauté in juices for about 3 minutes.  Add the mustard, ginger, salt and pepper.  Stir well and cook for 2 additional minutes.  Add sherry (bourbon in a pinch) and cream.  Cook at medium heat until cream reduces slightly and thickens.

Add steak to cream mixture, stir to coat, and pour back into the ovenproof dish.  Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.

Serves four.

*Freezing the meat for a while (or, if already frozen, don't allow to thaw completely) makes slicing a breeze.

**I store fresh ginger in the freezer.  It keeps for a long time, and makes slicing, chopping, dicing, and grating very easy.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Be Inspired Friday

Foodie Friday

Friday Flash Blog Party

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Onions & Sage

Mr. O-P recently had hip surgery. He is now home (Less than 48 hours after surgery, what's with that?!) struggling to get used to the aftermath and recovery, while I struggle to get used to him. It is no picnic. It's pretty much been food from the freezer, warmed in the microwave as I sway in front of it, mesmerized by the turntable, bleary-eyed, and weary from the exhaustion involved in being a caregiver. 

Last night I managed to pull together a meal with minimal effort that we both truly enjoyed. I made Slow Cooked Spicy Kielbasa, Caesar salad, and tried a new potato recipe using a fresh crop of fall harvest potatoes from Melissa's Produce, and fresh sage from my garden. 

"Unusual," he commented as I placed my carefully plated dishes before him, raising my heaviest of skillets over my head, poised to bean him if he said anything else. Fortunately for us both, he clarified by adding that it all looked both interesting and delicious, and then he proceeded to devour everything in record time including seconds!  Whew. Crisis and a prison sentence averted!

I found the potato recipe on epicurious.com, cut it waaaay back to accommodate us two, and found it remarkably tasty, a definite keeper, and perfect for the fall season. My guess is that most people only think of apples when they think of the fall harvest, but it's also potato and onion time, and the perfect opportunity to experiment with as many varieties of both as possible. This recipe would be great for a crowd and is certainly company worthy. 

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Onions & Sage

Bon Appétit, November 2009 by Josie Le Balch

1 pound thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4" strips
5 pounds assorted baby potatoes, rinsed, dried, halved*
2 large red onions, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
3/4 cup 1/3-inch pieces torn fresh sage leaves (from about 2 bunches), divided
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
Coarse kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and golden. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve 4 tablespoons drippings from skillet.

Combine potatoes, onions, 1/2 cup torn sage leaves, melted butter, and reserved 4 tablespoons bacon drippings in very large bowl. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Spread potato mixture evenly on 18x12x1-inch baking sheet. Roast 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheet at room temperature.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Stir bacon into potato mixture and continue to roast until potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to large serving bowl. Season to taste with more coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with remaining torn sage leaves and serve.

* I used Melissa's Peewee Ruby Gold, and Peewee Dutch Yellow varieties

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Cream of “Three Pepper” Soup

I am a big fan of Hatch Chiles, so am always excited to get a box from Melissa’s Produce come August.  I had my own hatch chile roast over the gas grill while pretending that I was in the original growing area of Hatch, New Mexico.   But the season is short, so it is often a challenge to come up with as many ways in which to use them before they are no more.  This delicious soup is going to become a hatch chile tradition.  Made with three different peppers to give it a great depth of flavor, it can be mild or spicy depending upon how many jalapeños that you choose to use.  Mr. O-P, not at all a fan of peppers, lapped it up telling me how much he liked it between spoonfuls.  You will too!

Cream of “Three Pepper” Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
1/2 large green pepper, finely diced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and diced
2 medium Melissa’s hatch chiles, roasted and chopped
1/2 cup grated provolone
1 cup grated cheddar jack cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over low heat. Add flour and stir 3 minutes. Mix in stock and milk, whisking to combine. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over low heat. Add onion, green pepper, and jalapeno(s). Cook until soft, stirring occasionally about 5 minutes. Stir in hatch chiles. Add cheese to cream mixture and stir until melted. Mix in vegetables. It you like a chunkier soup, leave as is; if you prefer a more creamy soup, pour half into a blender and blend thoroughly, or use an immersion blender and whir it around the pan for a couple of turns.  Season with salt, garnish with parsley and serve.

This post is linked to:

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

Tasty Tuesdays

Wow Us Wednesdays

Summer's Swan Song

 While white is not supposed to be appropriate after Labor Day, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to create a final summer tablescape using as much bright white as possible.  With temperatures last week and the upcoming week in the upper nineties (What?!) it’s hard to believe that it is actually September and we are just weeks away from fall. So I am calling this table my summer “swan song.” 

I was inspired by these sheet music flowers that served as centerpieces on tables at the wedding of my very musical number two son, and his equally musical wife, nearly four years ago.

Set for brunch, I used white ramekins as the perfect holders for spicy bran muffins. 

 Chinese butterfly dishes, normally used for holding hot mustard and sweet & sour sauces, served to hold pats of butter on one side, and homemade jam on the other.

Mint and cucumber-infused water is especially refreshing on a hot day.

Mismatched silverware is both elegant and casual at the same time.

The edging on these napkins is interesting, I think, making them one of my favorites.  This was my first set of napkins, given to me by my mother when I was still in high school back in the seventies.

White makes things feel cool even on the hottest of days.

Placemats – Pier 1
Runner – Pottery Barn

Dishes – Old Time Pottery

Glasses – La Rochere

Ramekins – Home Goods

Butterfly Dishes – Pier One

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

Amaze Me Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

Wow Us Wednesdays

Centerpiece Wednesday

Inspiration Gallery Thursday
Transformation Thursday
Open House Party

 The Charm of Home
 At The Picket Fence

Let’s Dish!

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

Tablescape Thursday

Be Inspired Friday

Feather Your Nest Friday
 Show and Tell Friday

Plum Bite Crumble

I think that plums are underappreciated fruits.  My favorite of the stone fruits, they are sweet, juicy, and deeply red indicating that they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and are a good source of vitamin C.  I have used them in many recipes; one of my favorites is Plum Streusel Coffeecake.  This afternoon, though, I wanted to make a dessert appropriate for an evening meal, so settled on a plum crumble.  As was the case with the coffeecake mentioned above, I had to battle Mr. O-P for the plums (I’m going to have to find a much better hiding place!), leaving me making a smaller dessert than I’d hoped, but no less delicious.  I imagine this would be tasty topped with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, but I wanted nothing to compete with the “plum” deliciousness, so ate it plain. Yummy!

Plum Bite Crumble

Topping 

½ cup, plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch cardamom

1/2 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling

1 pound Melissa’s Organic Plum Bites, pitted, cut into wedges

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon brandy

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make crumb topping:

Put flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom into the work bowl of your food processor.  Pulse until mixed (about 3 times). Add the butter and pulse 5-8 times until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Place mixture into a medium bowl and squeeze together with your fingers to form large-ish crumbs.  Set aside, or, if you like, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

To make plum filling:

Toss plums, sugar, and brandy together in a medium bowl.  Mix to make sure the fruit is well coated.  Spread into the bottom of a small baking dish or ramekins. Sprinkle crumb topping over fruit. Bake on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet (to make clean-up a breeze) until fruit bubbles and topping browns, about 50 minutes (less if using ramekins). Cool slightly before serving.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday