Christmas Eve Prime Rib ~ Merry Christmas!

Tradition here is Prime Rib, Standing  Rib Roast, 

on 

Christmas Eve. 

 

My fave carver, slicing it up!

It doesn’t get much better than a beautiful slice of beef, cooked rare.  This is my version; served along with delicious Caesar salad, Hasselback potatoes, oyster dressing, sautéed green beans with mushrooms, and a nice flaky dinner roll, with caramel cheesecake to top it off. 

Our prime rib is ordered from our local Italian butcher shop.  The butcher trimmed a large part of the fat off, then cut the bone off and brought it all back together by tying it with string.  It’s perfect, easy to roast and even easier for slicing. 

Allow the meat to stand at room temperature for an hour;  rub it with salt, a little pepper, and garlic powder, before roasting it in a 350° oven, until it reaches 120° internally.  Upon removing it  from the oven, let it stand for about 25 minutes before slicing.  By then, it will the register about 130° on the thermometer. 

This is my favorite cut of meat, and it’s cooked to perfection, very tender, juicy and delectable!

 HERE’S WISHING

YOU ALL

A VERY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Healthier Beef Stroganoff

It was during the “ultimate comfort food era,” the 1950’s, when Beef Stroganoff migrated from its origin in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to the United States.  Sautéed pieces of beef were served in a sauce with “smetana” or sour cream, and mushrooms.  

The story goes that a culinary competition was held in the 1890’s, during Czarist times, when a daring chef concocted this savory dish.  The chef was employed by a high-ranking noble family, the Stroganov’s.  They were wealthy beyond belief with, at one time, having 155,000 serfs on the 6.5 million acres the family owned. 

The creative chef named the dish in honor of his patron, Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov and took away first prize.  A spin on the Beef Storganoff story is that it was created specifically for the Count because he had lost his teeth and was unable to chew a steak.

This version is a delicious dish that really took us by surprise.  The recipe is from The New American Heart Association Cookbook.  It is packed with delectable flavors and I will be making this Beef Stroganoff again!!!

Here's the recipe:

Lighter Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1 pound beef tenderloin, boneless round steak, or boneless sirloin

½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added beef broth

2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried dillweed

1/3 cup fat-free or light sour cream

Method:

Discard all visible fat from meat and slice into thin strips about 2-inches long; sprinkle with pepper.

Pour oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Cook mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, or until tender; transfer to a plate.

Cook onion in same skillet for 3-4 minutes, or until brown; add to the mushrooms.

Put meat in skillet and brown on all sides until rare, about 3 minutes; add to mushrooms.

Put flour in skillet; gradually pour in broth, whisking constantly.

Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened, whisking constantly.

Reduce heat to low.

Whisk in remaining ingredients except the sour cream.

Stir in the mushroom mixture.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Put sour cream in a small bowl.

Stir in a small amount of meat mixture and add to the skillet.

Cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Serve over noodles or rice.

It’s DELICIOUS!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

Robust Mushroom and Barley Soup

I adore the flavor and meatiness of mushrooms!   I like them equally ~ whether raw, sautéed in butter, or in my savory mushroom and mustard casserole.  But, I’ve been addicted to soup lately, probably because it has been very cold, windy and snowy here.  So, a while ago, when I saw the recipe for mushroom soup in The Chicago Tribune, I knew I had to try it.

This recipe I’m sharing with you combines mild earthy, fresh button mushrooms with the nutty-woodsy flavor of dried porcini mushrooms.  Both the texture and flavor of these mushrooms remind me of meat.  Mushrooms, being like tiny sponges, soak up the flavor of the sautéed shallots and garlic, giving them an appealing hearty flavor. 

I made a few changes in the recipe:  I added Montreal seasoning, substituted button mushrooms for cremini, since the grocery store had none; and, I added a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to enhance the flavor of the mushrooms.  The recipe called for ½ cup of barley.  We really like barley, so I upped it to 1 cup for a thicker full-bodied soup.

Like I said, this soup is perfect for a cold winter day.  Just be sure to serve it with plenty of rustic bread alongside for sopping up every last bit of soup.  This is my “new favorite” soup!

Porcinis soaking

Porcinis sliced

Ummm!

Mushroom and Barley Soup                        

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 package (1 ounce) dried porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 pound button mushrooms, wiped clean

8 cups beef bro, vthery low-sodium

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 cup pearl barley

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Method:

Place porcini mushrooms in a bowl.

Cover with 2 cups boiling water.

Soak, submerged with a small plate, 20 minutes.

Squeeze liquid from mushrooms and reserve.

Slice mushrooms.

Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.

Add shallots and garlic; cook until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes.

Remove shallots mixture to a small bowl and set aside.

Add button mushrooms and cook until their liquid releases, about 5-8 minutes.

Stir in shallot and garlic mixture, beef broth, thyme, reserved mushroom liquid and reconstituted porcini.

Add Montreal Steak Seasoning and heat to a boil.

Stir in barley; reduce heat to a simmer.

Cook, partially covered, until barley is tender, about 40 minutes.

Stir in balsamic vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.

Top with parsley and serve.

6 servings

Ummmm, mmmm, good!!!  My “new favorite” soup!