I feel like I’ve been running out of ideas lately. When I got up this morning, I stared blankly into my freezer not sure what I wanted to make. There was the requisite ground beef and chicken. There was also steak, cubed steak, and ground lamb. For whatever reason, I still have the 4-lb chicken from when I was supposed to make a roasted chicken (that’ll be on here later). So I pulled out a package of ground beef, sure I could think of something quick and yummy to make for dinner.
As I sat at work, a client’s 1040 information in front of me, it hit me. Why not try out that Beefburger Parcel recipe you found ages ago? Basically the poor man’s Beef Wellington, the recipe is simple and straightforward. I found it a couple of years ago while looking around on All Recipes and had just never gotten around to making it.
Being a fairly picky eater and having an even pickier roommate, I had to tweak the recipe quite a bit. My sister does not like onions. Neither of us do mushrooms, not even cream of mushroom soup (I chalk that up to it grossing me out more than anything…it’s a fungus; fungus has been known to grow on people’s feet…BLECH!). So I omitted the onions and mushies, but you certainly don’t have to.
I wasn’t sure what to make as a side dish tonight. I knew my sister might not be eating with me, but I also knew that she would need me to pack her a lunch for work tomorrow. I’ve wanted to try out a recipe for onion risotto for months now, but since she won’t come anywhere near the onions, I’ll have to save it for this weekend while she’s out of town. Mashed potatoes it is! I don’t know why, but she and I love red potatoes the best (it’s not like we grew up eating them, and I don’t think I ever even had them until I was living on my own, so I have no idea where our obsession with them came from). We leave the skins on to get what little nutrition can be found in potatoes.
Overall, I think the meal came out pretty tasty. It certainly would have been better with more tweaking (or less). I certainly would have liked the onions at least mixed in with the meat, and I wish I had been paying attention at the grocery store and picked up some more garlic. Cheers!
Beefburger Parcels
Recipe from All Recipes. Adapted by me
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 cup red grape juice (I used red wine, but you could also use beef broth)
1 cube beef bouillon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
Recipe from All Recipes. Adapted by me
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 cup red grape juice (I used red wine, but you could also use beef broth)
1 cube beef bouillon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with equal parts water
Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1 chopped onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add egg, and mix well. Shape into 4 thick patties, not too large in diameter. Cook burgers on grill until brown.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute 1 chopped onion, and chopped mushrooms until brown and caramelized.
Cut puff pastry into 4 squares, and roll pieces large enough to wrap burgers. Divide mushroom mixture into the center of each pastry, then top with burgers. Wrap pastry around burgers, and seal edges. Place parcels seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Serve with Red Grape Sauce.
Meanwhile, make Red Grape Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine grape juice, Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon. Mix the cornstarch with water, and stir into sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, 1 chopped onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add egg, and mix well. Shape into 4 thick patties, not too large in diameter. Cook burgers on grill until brown.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute 1 chopped onion, and chopped mushrooms until brown and caramelized.
Cut puff pastry into 4 squares, and roll pieces large enough to wrap burgers. Divide mushroom mixture into the center of each pastry, then top with burgers. Wrap pastry around burgers, and seal edges. Place parcels seam side down on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Serve with Red Grape Sauce.
Meanwhile, make Red Grape Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine grape juice, Worcestershire sauce, and bouillon. Mix the cornstarch with water, and stir into sauce. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
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6 comments:
That looks pretty good, I may try it. I might do it with a rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. The onion could be chopped up and mixed with the ground meat. I might grill the meat patties in a skillet and then mix the grape juice, etc., with the drippings. Poor man's beef wellington is funny.
By the way, I hope you are able to keep your blog going. So many blogs start out looking really interesting then sort of shrivel up and disappear. It is hard to come up with something every day, even every week. But if you keep at it word gets around and you begin to have a group of regular readers who give you a lot of encouragement. I am looking forward to seeing you around for a long time. I'm sure your hubby misses your cooking.
Next time I make it, I'm adding the onions even if my sister is here (she can spot the smallest onion piece from a mile away). I also made the gravy in the pan drippings from the meat since I don't have a grill and had to cook it on the stove. I started a list yesterday of different things I want to try to make in the near future so I at least have some ideas to go off of. The hubby does miss my cooking, but he's greatful that I'm trying out more recipes from the dozens of cookbooks I have but seem to never use.
Thanks for visiting!! Cooking the burger in puff pastry is such a fun idea! I bet it was delicious!
this look delicious, thanks for sharing. I will sure give it a try :) :) I am sure my husband will love it !!
Steph - It was really good! Onions would have made it even better.
La Marquise - Thanks for stopping by and following me! I was really impressed with all of your items you had for sale. Now I just need my paycheck so I can buy something!
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