Do You Know How Julia Would Make It? le beurre d'arachide et la fraise conservent le sandwich

Honestly I am not sure she ever did, are you curious what it is? To be honest, it was something that I was craving since I got up yesterday morning,

Not sure how I ever got so lucky, but I am glad I did! So that evening, I took my new treasure and a my cup of tea, crawled into bed and savored every page. (well almost every page, I skipped the whole chapter on aspics and some other recipes I knew I would not have the guts to try) Of course, the next day, we had Julia's Bouef Bourguignon and it was wonderful! I don't feel I have to share the recipe on this blog since there are SO many post about it after the movie came out. I will only say, I have made it numerous time in the last couple months, it is a little time consuming, but well worth it and we LOVE it over mashed potatoes with crusty french bread.

Anyway back to yesterday's story. I had just made Bouef Bourguignon last week, so that wasn't going to work to change Julia's opinion of me, but I still wanted to make something rich and saucy! I decided to try her Sauté de Boeuf à la Parisienne (as long as I did not have to say it) I love mushrooms, I love beef, I love a Maderia sauce, add to that lots of butter and whipping cream, how could it not be wonderful and it was! I follow the recipe below almost exactly, the only changes, I used sliced baby bellas instead of white mushrooms, served it with mashed potatoes topped with the Madeira cream sauce, broccoli and we enjoyed a bottle of Merlot instead of a Bordeaux!

Just a note, since the time I was given my "signed" copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, I have also acquired another "signed" copy of one of Julia's cookbooks. Julia Child & Company, signed by me, not then yet The Saucy Gourmet in 1978, it was a Christmas present to my mom:-) My mom has been my inspiration for my love of cooking and gardening, she has been there for me no matter what path I have followed. She has been my sounding board for my cooking classes, my personal chef business, for my blog and my life. Always ready to share a recipe, proof my blog or let me vent about life, thanks mom!!!! Don't get me wrong, my dad is incredible too, we talk Gator football, puppies, and the kids, he has traveled hundreds of miles to coach his grand children's lacrosse club, but as soon as my mom and I start talking food on the phone, he's outta there (oh, yeah, he proofs too) thanks dad!!!! Last time I was home, she passed Julia Child & Company on to me, so I can enjoy it too. Maybe, I will pass both cookbooks on to my daughter within the next 30 years! Brie, we are still waiting on your guest post, hint, hint. OK enough sentiment, here is the recipe.

Sauté de Boeuf à la Parisienne

(Beef Sauté with Cream and Mushroom Sauce)

from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

“This sauté of beef is good to know about if you have to entertain important guests in a hurry. It consists of small pieces of filet sautéed quickly to a nice brown outside and a rosy center, and served in a sauce. The following recipe can easily be prepared in 30 minutes, or in less than half the time if the meat has been sliced and the mushrooms sautéed ahead. In the variations at the end of the recipe, all the sauce ingredients may be prepared in advance. If the whole dish is cooked ahead of time, be very careful indeed in its reheating that the beef does not overcook. The cream and mushroom sauce here is a French version of beef Stroganoff, but less tricky as it uses fresh rather than sour cream, so you will not run into the problem of curdled sauce.

Serve the beef in a casserole, or on a platter surrounded with steamed rice, risotto, or potato balls sautéed in butter. Buttered green peas or beans could accompany it, and a good Red Bordeaux wine.”

For 6 people

Sauté the mushrooms in a heavy skillet in hot butter and oil for 4 to 5 minutes to brown them lightly. Stir in the shallots or green onions, and cook for a minute longer. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper,

and scrape them into a side dish.

Remove all surrounding fat and filament from the filet and cut it into 2-ounce pieces, about 2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Dry thoroughly on paper towels.

Place 2 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon cooking oil in the skillet and set over moderately high heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side to brown the exterior but keep the interior rosy red. Set the beef on a side dish, and discard the sautéing fat.

Pour the wine and stock or bouillon into the skillet and boil it down rapidly, scraping up coagulated cooking juices, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Beat in the cream, then the cornstarch mixture.

Simmer a minute. Add the sautéed mushrooms and simmer a minute more. The sauce should have a slight liaison (be lightly thickened).

Taste carefully for seasoning.

Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper and return it to the skillet along with any juices which may have escaped. Baste the beef with the sauce and mushrooms; or transfer everything to a serving casserole.

When you are ready to serve, cover the skillet or casserole and heat to below the simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, being very careful not to overdo it or the pieces of filet will be done rather than rare. Off heat and just

before serving, tilt the casserole, add butter to sauce a bit at a time while basting the meat until the butter has absorbed. Decorate with parsley, and serve at once.