Swedish Cube Steak with Sweet Potato Mash

    As the weather gets colder it is nice to have some comfort foods ready to go.  As I have stated previously we have been going to the Oakland County Farmers Market in recent weeks.  There are two very good beef suppliers there and I got some cube steaks a couple weeks ago.  So along with some mushroom and onions I thought I would make a Swedish style cube steak dinner with mashed potatoes, well we are out of potatoes so I am making it with sweet potatoes and then some frozen green beans to round out the meal.

    The sauce is started with onions, then a little flour and some beef and vegetable stock.  I have a lot of canned stock and sauces and jams and fruits and vegetables in the basement so I am always ready to make a good sauce or soup with dinner.

    I also hate to waste items so I roasted the peelings from the sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, salt and pepper to crisp them up to serve as a little accent.  Also I sautéed the mushrooms seperately and served on the side, one because the kids don't like them and two because they are my good wild mushrooms from the market.  For this I used piopinni, nomeko, maitake and chantrelles...

Now, get in the kitchen and cook something!

Swedish Cube Steak

    2 T Olive Oil

    4 - 6oz Cube Steaks

    Salt and Pepper TT

    Flour

    2 T Olive Oil

    1 Onion, julienned

    2 c Mushrooms, sliced (White or Crimini work fine but any variety is good)

    1/4 c Flour

    1/2 c Red Wine

    4 c Beef or Vegetable Broth 

    1 c Sour Cream

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Season steaks on both sides with salt and pepper and dust them with flour
3. Saute steaks about 3 minutes per side, remove to a plate
4. Add two more tablespoons of flour to the pan
5. Season Sautee onions until they start to brown, 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
6. Add Mushrooms and saute about 5 minutes
7. Add flour and stir to coat onions and mushrooms and cook until it starts to brown, about 10 minutes
8. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits to stir into the sauce
9. Add broth and whisk to thicken
10. Add sour cream and stir to blend
11. Reduce heat to a simmer and return the steaks to the pan
12. Simmer 30 minutes
13. Adjust seasoning and serve

Sweet Potato Mash with Crispy Skins

    2 lb. Sweet Potatoes

    2 T Olive Oil

    Salt and Pepper

    1/4 c butter

    1/4 c Cream

    1/2 t White pepper

    1 t Salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 400ᣞ    
2. Peel sweet potatoes and put in a pan of water, reserve skins
3. Heat sweet potatoes to a boil reduce to a simmer and cook until softened, about 25 minutes
4. Meanwhile, toss skins with oil, salt and pepper and roast in oven about 12 minutes, toss them and cook an additional 10 minutes until crispy, careful not to burn them.
5. Drain and return to stove, let them dry for a couple of minutes
6. Place potatoes in a mixing bowl with butter, cream, white pepper and salt
7. whip until smooth and serve

Green Beans Almandine

    1 lb. Green Beans

    2 T Butter

    Salt and Pepper TT

    1/4 c Pecans, toasted

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil
2. Add beans and cook 3 minutes
3. Drain beans and toss with battur, salt and pepper
4. Serve sprinkled with the pecans.