BarbecueStyle or just , Broiled, Planked, Hamburger Steak

If you wish to plank a hamburger or steak, please, please, do so this way. Many of the planks people are now placing their meat on, and allowing to char during the broiling process, can release deadly carcinogens which then penetrate into the meat being cooked. If you are one of those people that just "has to" char or burn something, in order to get that "authentic" out door smoked cooking experience; follow the recipe below to the point of planking the steak; then take that hardware store bought plank, of your choice--place it on your broiler, and let it char-- to your choice of doneness--then continue to follow the recipe and use the type of plank I suggest. You sill still have your smoked taste and smell; but the food will be a lot healthier to eat and you will get a lot more compliments on your presentation and "chef style".

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Canadian Russet potatoes
2 Tbsps butter
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
8 small carrots, cooked and buttered
2 cups peas, cooked and buttered
      Minced parsley

Instructions:
Peel and quarter the potatoes. Cook, covered, in boiling salted water till tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Add the butter and eggs to potatoes (Duchess); beat till fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Shape ground chuck(usually, the ground meat of choice, flavour-wise) into 4 oval steaks about 1 inch thick. In skillet cook steaks till rare, about 5 minutes per side. Place each on a well-oiled seasoned steak plank (they are usually oval shaped, with a groove around the outer edge, and 3/4 to 1 inch thick--some are designed to hold a cast iron steak sizzler); sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush with butter to "finish". Place Potatoes in pastry bag; pipe onto plank to form border 1 inch larger than steak.
Place 2 planks under broiler or salamander, 4 inches from heat; broil till potatoes brown sightly, about 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining planks. Arrange "baby" carrots and peas (other vegetables may be added, if desired) within potato border; sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Steak "American" and Steak Tartare

 Have you ever noticed that all the older cook books and recipes guarded against the over cooking of ground beef.


Dishes such as the previously mentioned Steak Tartare or Steak American consist of raw, shaved or shredded beef. (Shaved beef is very seldom seen today. It requires a very sharp knife and considerable skill--shaved beef is literally shaved off a larger cut that is kept; just at the freezing point; but not allowed to freeze). Nobody ever got sick. 


Today all cook books and recipes claim that ground beef must be treated like pork and very well cooked. The difference is in the handling. Canadians used to buy their meat freshly cut or ground, often "to order" this happy circumstance no longer exists.While "fresh" meat always was a misconception or myth-that most civilized people would eat or purchase (what was considered top quality meat was always aged, for flavour and tenderness); since  greedy marketers/producers started adding-and disregarding all health  concerns, governments and health boards have allowed pink slime shit-a frozen product that can be a year or more old-to be added to meat products "FRESH" no longer exists. One cut of meat is now virtually the same as another-non of it fresh and containing scraps from where ever/when ever.

Steak Tartare-

 The original hamburger.

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        For each serving allow six ounces freshly HAND SHAVED extra lean beef (usually fillet, sirloin, or round). Handle as little as possible, but arrange each serving in a mound. Make a shallow depression in the top of each mound and place in the depression a very, very,  soft (just barely starting to turn white) coddled egg. Garnish with capers or anchovy fillets. Have available: Worcestershire, mustard, salt, a peppermill, bottled thick meat sauce, ketchup, and separate dishes of capers, caraway seeds, and finely minced onion. Let each guest season his beef to taste. Serve plenty of buttered, thinly sliced rye bread or crisp toast.

Steak American

BROUGHT OUT BY THE U.S.A.; "Steak American" like "Salisbury Steak"is just another one of the"famous" copy-cat products and or recipes that country has built a reputation on; and is so well known for. Notice that the photo images shows a product that  uses GROUND BEEF--NOT SHAVED. Of course, the appearance, taste, and texture will all much different than the classic dish as served in the top EUROPEAN restaurants.

• Prepare Steak Tartare in the normal way and then place a raw egg yolk (yolk only- otherwise you go back to steak tartare) on top.

Calgary Stampede Beef Skillet

Calgary Stampede Beef Skillet

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chuck

3/4 C diced onion

1 1/2 tsps chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 16 oz can tomatoes, crushed

1 15 1/2 oz can red kidney beans

3/4 cup quick-cooking rice

3/4 C water

3 Tbsp diced green pepper

3/4 C diced Canadian sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions:

In skillet, cook ground beef and onion till beef is brown and onions are tender, drain off fat.

Sprinkle meat mixture with chilli powder, salt, and garlic powder. Stir in undrained tomatoes, undrained beans, Uncooked rice, water, and green pepper.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Top with cheese. Cover and heat till cheese melts, about 3 minutes longer. Makes 6 servings.

Mini-Meatball Minestrone

Mini-Meatball Minestrone

If you're going to make soup, make soup not dishwater.

Ingredients:

1 28oz can tomatoes, crushed

2 C shredded cabbage

2 small zuccini or firm cucumber, sliced (2 cups)

1 12 oz can whole kernel corn

2 ribs celery, bias-cut

1 medium onion, large dice

1/2 C broken vermicelli

1/2 C dry red wine

2 Tbsps chopped parsley

11/4 tsps instant beef bouillon granules or 4 C good beef stock (omit 4 C water

4 C water

1 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1 beaten egg

1/4 C milk

1/3 cup fine bread crumbs

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 lb ground chuck

Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:In Dutch oven, combine undrained tomatoes, cabbage, zuccini, undrained corn, celery, onion, uncooked vermicelli, red wine, parsley instant beef bouillon granules, oregano, basil, garlic powder, , 4 cups water or stock,3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg, milk, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and dash of pepper. Add  ground chuck; mix well. shape into 36 tiny balls. In skillet brown the meatballs, shaking the pan often to keep balls rounded. Drain off excess fat.

Add meatballs to soup. Cover and cook till vegetables and vermicelli are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Pass Parmesan to sprinkle atop. Makes 8 servings. 

Hamburger Manicotti

Manicotti

Ingredients:
8 manicotti shells
1 lb ground round, rump, or chopped sirloin
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp dried basil, crushed
1 12 tsps salt
1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced
2 C water
2 beaten eggs
3 C ricotta or cream-style cottage cheese drained
3/4 C grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt


Instructions:
Cook manicotti shells in boiling salted water till just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, drain. Rinse shells in cold water.
Meanwhile, in a 3 quart saucepan brown meat lightly. Drain off excess fat. Stir in tomato paste, onion, celery, half of the parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, garlic, and dash of pepper. Add the 2 cups water; mix well. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a bowl, combine eggs, ricotta or cottage cheese, 1/2 cup of the Romano or Parmesan cheese, remaining parsley, the 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Stuff Cooked manicotti shells with cheese mixture, using a small spoon (or slit the shells lengthwise with scissors and open to fill).
Pour half of the tomato-meat sauce into a 12x71/2x2 inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in dish;p top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Romano cheese, Bake, uncovered, at 350F fir 40 to 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cheeseburger Pie

A combination of quiche and ground beef hash--this dish was an all time favourite at at any camp at which I ever worked. I often prepared it, when I worked as Banquet Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Calgary Alberta as well.


Ingredients:
1 lb ground round, rump, or chopped sirloin
1/2 C diced onion
1 8 oz can tomato  sauce
1 4 oz can sliced mushroom, drained
1/4 C chopped parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (8 rolls each)
3 eggs
6 slices sharp Canadian cheddar cheese (6 oz)
1 Tbsp water


Instructions:
In skillet, cook ground beef and onion till meat is brown (no red visible) and onion is tender; drain of excess fat. Stir in tomato sauce, drained mushrooms, parsley, salt, oregano, and pepper.
Unroll one package of the crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Place in a lightly greased 9 inch pie plate, pressing edges together to form a pie shell.
Separate one of the eggs; set yolk aside. Beat egg white with the remaining two eggs. Pour half the beaten egg over pie shell. Spoon meat mixture into shell. Arrange the cheese slice atop; spread with remaining beaten egg.
Mix reserved egg yolk with water; lightly brush some over edge of pastry. Reserve remaining yolk mixture.
Unroll second package of crescent rolls. Place the four sections of dough together to form a 12x6 inch rectangle. Seal edges and perforations together. Roll out dough to a 12 inch square Place dough atop filling. Trim; seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust for escape of steam. Brush top with the remaining egg yolk mixture.
Loosely cover edge with  a strip of foil to prevent over browning. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. Cover cente of pie loosely with foil. Bake 20 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 Servings.