A fat, juicy burger is good year-round, but there’s something about a hearty dish like beef stroganoff or a pepper-crusted roast that hits the spot when temperatures dip.
Cattle are Colorado’s top commodity – 2.5 million head valued at $2.5 billion statewide – and there are plenty of innovative dishes to suit every palate. Beef is rich in nutrients, including zinc, iron, B vitamins and protein, and it’s easy to find a variety of cuts in grocery stores and restaurants.
Beef, December’s feature, is one of the many commodities highlighted monthly by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
For information and recipes, go to colorado agriculture.com and click on “additional Colorado Proud recipes.”
Blackened Colorado Beef Ribeye with Tomatillo Salsa and Sweet Red Pepper Polenta
From chef Lawrence Johnson, Briarhurst Manor, Manitou Springs. Unless you like to trim fat and tissue from loins, prevail upon your friendly butcher to clean the ribeye and cut it into steaks. This recipe is for an advanced cook, but if the number of steps doesn’t frighten you, rock on. Just remember, this is a chef’s recipe, and they have help with prep and cleanup. Serves 6
Ingredients
Blackening seasoning:
Tomatillo Salsa:
Tortilla “frizzles”:
Directions
Combine spice ingredients, chili powder through cloves, in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 400.
Coat tomatillos in olive oil and blackening spice, roast in a 400-degree oven until nicely browned. Transfer the tomatillos to a medium saucepan and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Whisk frequently to break down the tomatillos. When completely mashed, set aside, covered.
To make Tortilla “frizzles,” cut tortillas into 1/4-inch strips. Cook in a deep fryer until crispy and lightly browned. Drain well and toss with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Dredge ribeyes in blackening spice; try to get a medium- heavy coating of spice on the meat. Place the steak in a lightly oiled, preheated medium-hot sauté pan. Sear and cook to desired temperature (145 degrees for rare).
Cut the polenta (recipe below) into squares of desired size.
Arrange the ribeyes on a serving plate along with red pepper polenta cakes.
Top with a generous dollop of tomatillo salsa and garnish with tortilla frizzles.
Spiral-Cut of Beef with Loredana’s San Daniele
Loredana Ottoborgo of Arvada owns and operates Loredana’s Pesto, which sells a variety of pestos and marinated cheeses. San Daniele is marinated Montasio cheese and prosciutto. For more information, go to loredanas.com. To make this dish, have the butcher spiral cut or jelly-roll cut the fillet for you. The goal is to get a flat, rectangular sheet of beef. Ottoborgo says that once you prepare this dish, you’ll be asked to make it again and again. Serves 4
Ingredients
Directions
With the heel of your hand, pound the meat to a 1/2-inch thickness, then season with salt and pepper.
Drain olive oil from the San Daniele (reserve olive oil for later) and spread evenly over the meat, leaving a 1-inch border along one of the long sides. Starting from the opposite long side, roll the meat into a loglike jelly roll.
Using kitchen string and starting 1/2 inch from one end, tie the meat in 8 places at 1-inch intervals. Slice between the ties to create 8 pinwheels. Preheat a stove-top cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Drizzle the meat with reserved olive oil, then grill on both sides, turning once, until it’s done to your taste. Let rest for a few minutes, then remove the strings and serve.
Colorado Beef Stroganoff
This recipe comes from Chef Bob Holloway for Eggland’s Best Eggs, Platteville.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to high and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Season half the beef with salt and pepper; add to the skillet, arranging it in a single layer; sauté until well-browned and still pinkish inside (1-2 minutes). Only partially cook the meat at this stage, because it will finish cooking later in the sauce. Transfer to a large plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef. Discard excess oil.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, add the mushrooms and stir occasionally until well-browned, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to the plate with the beef.
Heat 4 tablespoons of butter, add onion and stir until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Whisk in the flour, and stir for 1 minute. Slowly add the beef broth and, whisking constantly, bring to a full boil. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the sour cream, mustard and lemon juice, and season with pepper to taste. Set the sauce aside, covered.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and cook the noodles until tender; drain. Toss with 2 tablespoons butter and season with pepper to taste.
Add beef and mushrooms to the sauce and reheat over medium heat until just hot. Top noodles with the Stroganoff. Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Sweet Red Pepper Polenta
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the cream, water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add the polenta and stir vigorously until mixture is stiff and cooked through.
Add the peppers and stir until well mixed.
Pour onto a half sheet-pan, spread the polenta evenly, cover with plastic wrap and weight with a second half-sheet pan. Let polenta cool.
