Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef tenderloin, cut in cubes
• 3 T margarine
• 1/4 cup shallots, sliced fine
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups gravy
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 oz sour cream
• 2 oz 18% cream
• 1 T paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Steps

1. Saute the beef in the margarine.  Set aside.
2. Use the same skillet to saute the shallots for 3 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and saute for 3 more minutes.
4. Add the brown gravy. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the meat and stir well.
6. Stir in the cream and simmer until creamy.

Beef Bourguignon is a french dish made for kings. This version takes advantage of a slow cooker to let the juices seep into the meat. One advantage of this recipe is that even cheap meat will  become tender, so consider using a pot roast or blade roast in place of stewing beef, or go upscale and use steaks.

You will need a skillet, wooden spatula, sharp knife, slow cooker

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearl onions
• boiling water
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 3 lbs beef, cut into cubes
• 2 large mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 to 1-1/2 cup beef broth

Steps

1. Boil the pearl onions in water for 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse in cool water. Cut through the thicker end and slip off the papery skin.
2. Place peeled pearl onions in slow cooker.
3. Brown the meat in the oil.  Do this in batches, removing the meat to the slow cooker as it is done.
4. Use the same fat to brown the mushrooms.
5. Brown the mushrooms and red peppers.
6. Layer the vegetables into the slow cooker.
7. Pour the wine into the same skillet and reduce by a third.
8. Pour the wine over the meat and vegetables.
9. Add the broth.
10. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

This lively beef casserole takes advantage of the varied textures of ground beef, slivered almonds, toasted breadcrumbs, and crisp celery to create a rich meal.

You will need a bowl, a heavy skillet, 9 x 13 greased casserole dish, a wooden spatula, chopping board and knife, can opener and a spoon.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 3 onions, chopped
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 10 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 can condensed celery soup
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
• 2 T melted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Brown the beef in oil and place in a greased casserole
3. Layer with vegetables.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the soup, cream, soy sauce and pepper
5. Pour over vegetables.
6. Combine the breadcrumbs, melted butter and almonds
7. Layer over cream layer.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.

A ragout is a thick stew with lots of vegetables. The meat can be beef, veal, venison, or even ham. Add a splash of wine for extra body. Cook it in a large pot, casserole dish, or slow cooker.

You will need a casserole dish, slow cooker or stewing pot, a small bowl for flouring the meat, a wooden spatula.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 T flour to coat the meat
• 1 lb of stewing beef (or use another meat, cut into chunks)
• 3 T olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup baby carrots (or use large carrots cut into chunks)
• 1 T butter
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup white wine (or use red wine or cooking sherry for extra body)
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 T fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup water

Steps

1. Mix the flour and seasonings together.
2. Roll the chunks of meat in the flour.
3. Heat the oil in a hot skillet. Brown the meat in the oil (about 3 minutes).
4. Remove the meat to the stewing pot or slow cooker.
5. Add the onion to the skillet and fry until tender.
6. Add the garlic and carrots and cook until the carrots are a bit soft (about 5 minutes).
7. Add the butter and when it is melted, add the mushrooms and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and wine. Turn up the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
9. Add the broth and the bay leaf. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Add the broth to the stewing pot or slow cooker.
11. Add the water and stir.
12. Simmer on low heat (1 hour on stove; up to 8 hours in a slow cooker).

NOTE: Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Variations

• You can thicken the sauce before serving by removing a 1/2 cup of liquid to a small bowl. Add 1 T cornstarch and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Add back into the stew. Stir and bring the stew to a boil.
• Use cooking sherry and beef
• Use white wine and ham
• Use lamb and red wine
• Add 1/2 cup of sliced celery
• Leave out the tomato paste

Serve with mashed potatoes or fresh hunks of crusty bread.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• Short beef ribs
• onions, carrots, squash, potatoes and other fall harvest vegetables, as desired, chopped into bite-sized chunks.

Steps

1. Cook the ribs in a roasting pan on at 250 F for several hours, until the meat is falling off the bone.
2. Pour off the excess fat.
3. Arrange chopped onions, butternut squash, potatoes, and carrots around the meat.
4. Cook for 1-1/2 hours. occasionally basting the vegetables with the meat juices.