Beef Tenderloin Stew



Beef Tenderloin Stew

When I am cooking for my EAT! personal chef clients, I occasionally get requests for a special or fancy version of beef stew.  Sometimes the traditional stew that includes cubed beef chuck roasts, carrots and potatoes cooked for a long time over low heat is the perfect meal for a cold winter night.  But especially during the holiday season, the entrees served to our friends and family have a little more flare.

Beef Tenderloin Stew is one such dinner that will impress your guests and not break the bank.  Even though the recipe calls for beef tenderloin - a pricey cut of meat - only 1 pound is used to serve 4 people.  Also, ask for the end cut or tail of the tenderloin from your butcher or at the grocery store.  It is typically less expensive than the center cut filet portions - sometimes as much as 50% less per pound.

After a quick sear of the meat, the remaining ingredients are sauteed and then simmered in a beefy sauce flavored with fresh herbs.  The cubed and seared beef tenderloin is added back in along with bright green peas and chopped parsley to give the stew a fresh taste.  A loaf of bread and a tossed salad round out the meal.

A note to all you cooks you like to get a jumpstart on dinner -- Beef Tenderloin Stew can be made ahead of time, cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.  Gently reheat over low heat, adding more beef stock if the sauce is too thick, until the meat and vegetables are just heated through.

Beef Tenderloin Stew

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound beef tenderloin cubes, about 1-inch each
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
12 small or baby potatoes, quartered
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Dry beef with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add to pan and sear on each side for about a total of 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pot and add the onion, garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 6 – 8 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms begin to soften. Add the flour and stir until it is combined with the vegetables. Stir in the tomato paste, beef stock, vinegar, and mustard and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover pot and continue cooking for 20 – 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Return the meat to the pot and any accumulated juices and the peas. Heat through and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serving suggestions – loaf of bread and a tossed salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Chunky Vegetable and Bean Chili

Chunky Vegetable and Bean Chili

There will be lots and lots and lots of eating over the next few weeks.  And most of the food we will be noshing, gobbling, and devouring will be rich and heavy.  Why not have another option to offer the guests that will be dropping by albeit neighbors, college students on break, and numerous family members.

This vegetarian entree comes together in no time and tastes even better after it has had a day or two in the refrigerator for the flavors to meld.  Have sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro on hand so guests can top their chili as they please.  Pick up a loaf of bread from your local bakery, and the meal is complete.  With a batch of Chunky Vegetable and Bean Chili in your refrigerator, you will always be ready to serve up a bowl of hospitality during the holiday season. 

Chunky Vegetable and Bean Chili

serves 8 - 10

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, about 2 cups chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 jalapeno, diced

1 red pepper, diced in large pieces

1 green pepper, diced in large pieces

1 yellow pepper, diced in large pieces

1 zucchini, diced in large pieces

1 yellow squash, diced in large pieces
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 can (28 ounces) fire roasted tomatoes, diced
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon quick cooking polenta

2 cans (15 ounce) black beans, drained

1 can (15 ounce) red kidney beans, drained

Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, hot sauce, and chopped cilantro for serving

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and red, green, and yellow peppers.  Saute for 6 - 8 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions are translucent.  Add the zucchini and yellow squash and saute for an additional 2 - 4 minutes.  Add the cumin, chili powder, diced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.  Stir in the polenta and the cans of beans.  Heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, hot sauce, chopped onions, and chopped cilantro.

Note - This dish can be made ahead of time, cooled and stored in the refrigerator for 3 - 4 days.  It also can be frozen for up to 2 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a pot of low heat.

Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken and Fritos

Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken with Fritos

Every couple months, I stop by Restaurant Depot which is like a Costco for restaurant owners.  It is a huge warehouse of a place where shoppers push around rolling lumber carts instead of shopping carts because the 10 pound slabs of meat, 15 heads of lettuce, and countless 6 pound cans of crushed tomatoes would never fit in a regular cart.  I usually  pick up to-go type packaging for the meals I prepare for my EAT! clients along with a few other things that I really don't need, but are fun to buy.  Recent purchases have included 200 mini paper umbrellas like the ones put in tropical drinks, 50 bakery boxes so I can hand out my baked goods in style, a dozen individual cereal cups similar to the those in cafeterias, and 48 slider rolls just in case I am in the mood to make 48 sliders.

On my latest trip to this restaurant supply store mecca, my impulse purchase was the 50-count package of snack sized chips.  The box was loaded with Lay's Potato Chips, Sun Chips, Cheetos, Doritos, and Fritos.  After sending numerous bags to school in lunches, having a late night snack of Cheetos with a glass of red wine, and moving the huge box around my house as it is too large to store in my pantry, I decided it was time to use up those chips in a new recipe.  And with that, Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken with Fritos was created.

I had seen recipes for "Walking Tacos" where small bags of Fritos are crushed and filled with seasoned ground beef and topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and chopped tomatoes.  These portable treats are popular at many football concession stands and tailgates.  Always looking to change traditional recipes up just a bit, I tweaked the recipe and subbed grilled chicken in the recipe and served it for dinner on a busy night at our house.

I am happy to report that the meal was a success.  No Thank You Boy took one look at my latest dinner creation and proclaimed that it looked like something from a food truck.

"Very clever," he said.

As he has been a frequent watcher of The Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network, I took that as a compliment.  And he proceeded to eat Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken with Fritos 3 nights in a row and was disappointed when it was all gone when he requested for a fourth night.  He was especially fond of the easy clean up involved on his part.

Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken with Fritos is a fun dinner or would be great to serve at your next football viewing filled afternoon.  With the chicken and toppings prepared in advance, a quick reheat is all that is needed to assemble this Mexican inspired meal.

Fire Roasted Salsa Chicken with Fritos

Serves 8

2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
1 lime, cut in half
4 chicken breasts sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 cloves of chopped garlic
2 cans Hunt's fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 cup corn

for serving -
8 snack sized bags of Fritos Corn Chips
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat grill pan to medium high heat.  In a small bowl, combine the the 2 teaspoons each of cumin, smoked paprika, and chili powder along with the salt.  Rub chicken with olive oil, squeeze lime juice over it and then rub with the spice mixture.  Grill the chicken for about 3 - 4 minutes per side or until just cooked through.  Remove from grill and shred into bite-sized pieces.  Set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, onions and garlic.  Saute for 8 - 10 minutes or until the onions are softened and beginning to lightly brown.  Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, and hot sauce.  Stir to combine and continue cooking for 4 - 5 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.  Stir in the shredded chicken and corn and heat through.

To serve, cut each snack sized Frito bag open like a book.  Top chips with a generous amount of the salsa chicken, a dollop of sour cream, and some of the shredded cheese.  Sprinkle with cilantro.  Dig in!