Recipe: Mushroom & Beef

Growing up I was a picky kid, food wise that is. To this day, I remember sitting down at the dinner table in the evening with a plate of my favorite skillet-fried potatoes. I could probably live for days just eating those potatoes. However, there were certain other dishes that were of special liking to me. And meals cooked in the little “individual” pots, hot out of the oven were certainly among them. Perhaps, it was the miniature size of the pot the meal would arrive in – as a kid I found that very appealing. I do enjoy such meals to this day though, and not only for its miniature container, but rather the versatility of the dish itself and of course the taste.

Below is a recipe for the mushroom and beef cooked in miniature pot (or crock, or bowl if you will). However, as I mentioned earlier it is a versatile dish, so let loose your imagination and give it a whirl with whatever ingredients you might have on hand.

Mushroom & Beef
Servings 4

*You will need 4 oven-safe bowls/crocks/or miniature pots. (I’m using the Brunswick Soup Bowls from Crate & Barrel, which I absolutely love for their convenience and design.)



Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
4 bay leaves
8-10 oz baby bella or white button mushroom, quartered
1 small onion, diced
1 large tomato (or a handful of cherry tomatoes), diced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Water, boiled

For serving:
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Sour cream

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sauté the ground beef in a skillet with a dash of olive oil, until it begins to brown. Make sure to break the meat apart while it’s cooking. Set aside. (Don’t worry that it is not yet cooked through as it will continue cooking in the oven.)

Add a bay leaf to each of the oven-safe bowls then distribute the beef. Layer the three following ingredients on top of the beef: onions, mushrooms, tomatoes. Make sure to season each layer as you go. Then add water to each of the bowls. (You can add as much or as little as you wish here. I personally prefer more of a broth and add enough water to reach one of the top layers.) Top with a dash of olive oil. Arrange the bowls on a cookie sheet or an oven-safe pan to prevent any oven spills, and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, and some fresh ground pepper. Serve with sour cream, if desired. White rice and/or crusty bread might add a nice touch as well.

Enjoy!