Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [262]
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a large lipped baking sheet; set aside.
Pour the mushroom mixture into a large bowl. Crumble in the beef; then add the egg, bread crumbs, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
Make sure your hands are clean and work the meat into the spices, bread crumbs, and other ingredients, taking care not to destroy the meat’s fibers but to get the mixture uniform. Form into a 10-inch loaf shaped about like a football cut in half the long way.
Set on the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the loaf registers 155°F (our preference) or 165°F (the USDA recommendation), about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, as the internal temperature rises 5 degrees or so before slicing.
Variations: Substitute any variety or combination of mushrooms you desire, such as shiitake mushroom caps, cremini, or even the luxurious porcini.
Southwestern Ground Beef Stew with Pumpkin and Almonds
Pumpkin dissolves into this aromatic stew without thickening it; the body instead comes from the ground chiles. Makes 6 servings
¼ cup almonds, finely chopped
4 Californian or New Mexican dried red chiles, seeded, deveined, and torn into large pieces
2 dried ancho chiles, seeded, deveined, and torn into large pieces
2½ cups chicken broth
6 ounces bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound 90% to 93% lean ground beef
1 small pumpkin, about 1½ pounds, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1½-inch pieces
3 plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt, or more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring almost constantly, until lightly browned and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the chiles and cook, stirring often, until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the contents of the skillet into a food processor fitted with the chopping blade or into a large blender; process or blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon; cook, stirring often, until frizzled, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Crumble in the ground beef; cook, stirring every so often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the pureed chili mixture, then stir in the reserved toasted almonds, pumpkin, tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer slowly, stirring once in a while, until the pumpkin is tender, about 25 minutes. Check for salt before serving.
Variations: Substitute butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, and chopped, for the pumpkin.
Substitute pecan pieces for the almonds.
For a more-inspired stew, add ½ ounce semisweet chocolate, finely grated, with the pumpkin.
For a spicier dish, puree one chipotle in adobo sauce, seeded, with the softened chiles.
Swedish-Inspired Creamy Ground Beef Stew
In this stovetop dish, the cabbage and onion melt into the sauce, sweetening it considerably. Makes 6 servings
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 small head green cabbage, cored and shredded through the large holes of a box grater (about 6 packed cups)
1½ pounds 90% to 93% lean ground beef
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups beef broth
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon