six out of 24 made

There are a total of 24 recipes in the NY Times Cooking supplement issue of “One Pot/Pan/Skillet, 24 Brilliant Recipes for Everyone Who Hates Doing the Dishes.” So far, I’ve made 6 of them. This week I was called upon to pick up my granddaughter at daycare as her parents had late work days. Instead of my husband getting to try Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew, my daughter and her family got the opportunity.
 
The recipe calls for salt pork (I substituted bacon), an onion, shallots, 2 pounds beef chuck, cognac (I substituted brandy), beef stock, Dijon mustard, Pommery mustard or other whole grain Dijon mustard, carrots, mushrooms and red wine. This recipe is a one pot meal that takes approximately 3 hours from start to finish. The recipe says that it serves 4 to 6 people. I feel it more adequately feeds 3, possibly 4, people based on the fact that I had just slightly less than 2 pounds of beef chuck. 

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The salt pork is cooked to render some fat in which to cook the shallots and onions. After the shallots and onions are softened they are removed so the beef can be browned. Once the beef is browned, it is removed and the pan is deglazed with the cognac/brandy. Stock, ½ cup of Dijon mustard and 1 tablespoon of Pommery or other whole-grain mustard are whisked in. After that, the beef is returned to the pan and simmered for 1-1/2 hours. I did read some of the comments on the NYTimes Cooking website and added the carrots at the same time. The carrots were tender, but still had a bite to them. At the end of the designated cooking time, the final ingredients are added which are sautéed mushrooms, the balance of the mustard and red wine.
 
Although there was a lot of mustard in this dish, it had a nice savory flavor, not overpowering. However, everyone’s palate is different. If you think the recipe amount is too much, I would suggest cutting the mustard quantity in half and at the end, taste and add more if you more of a punch. I served the stew over egg noodles. My granddaughter didn’t particularly care for the flavor and my son-in-law would prefer a little less mustard, but he liked it. My daughter and I enjoyed the flavor.
 
You’re in luck, this week Whole Foods has Animal Welfare Certified Boneless Chuck Roast or Stew* priced at $3.99/lb. for Prime Members, otherwise its $7.99/lb. I suggest purchasing a chuck roast, and if you have the time and ambition,  make your own beef cubes.
 
On the menu for Sunday is Cheesy Baked pasta with Sausage and Ricotta from the same issue. I will be using my own fresh tomato sauce that I made last summer and turkey sausage. The recipe says that it feeds four using 12 ounces of pasta, 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, 6 ounces of ricotta and ¾ lb. of sausage. I’m already thinking it feeds two with leftovers for one for lunch. I’ll keep you posted as to how much my husband and I devour.