Jan-Feb-2016_Final-1-4-16-attempt2

the Around the World issue

Stew In A Roux Tim Acosta’s Hwy. 1 Beef Stroganoff WHAT YOU WILL NEED 2 pounds boneless beef sirloin or bottom round steak 1½ teaspoons Rouses salt ½ teaspoon Rouses black pepper 2 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon minced onion 1 cup white button mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced 1

Meet & Potatoes by Tim Acosta, Marketing Director

tablespoons Rouses Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 1

tablespoon all purpose flour teaspoon mustard powder

½ cup dry red wine 1 cup beef stock 1

cup sour cream, warmed

P otatoes are everywhere in Russia, even in the vodka,which is also everywhere. This past summer, my wife, Cindy, and I took a food tour that included a stop in St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. We visited Catherine’s Palace, Saint Isaac’s Cathedral, the Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world, and the Spilled Blood Church where Emperor Alexander II was murdered (hence the name). We ate dinner at the Meathead Restaurant, a cavernous steakhouse by the Spilled Blood Church. We skipped the steaks — I can cook those at home on my grill or Big Green Egg — and ordered herring with potatoes, borscht (a beet soup), Piroshki (potato dumplings), and beef stroganoff, which was served Russian-style with mashed potatoes and garnish with dill. There were shots of vodka waiting for us at the table when we arrived (in Russia, vodka is served room temperature), and we ordered more to go with the meal. Ypa! It was summer, so crawfish, yes crawfish (or crayfish as it’s spelled in the rest of the world), were in season in Russia, though most of the ones eaten in Russia are imported. Crawfish are eaten all over the world. In Russia they boil crawfish in water (or milk!) with carrots, onions, parsley, dill seeds, bay leaves, coriander and chili peppers. Their mix is not that far off from our seafood boil mix, although they don’t use mustard seeds and occasionally add sour cream. Sour cream and pickles are almost as ubiquitous in Russia as potatoes, which

are not, surprisingly enough, part of their crawfish boil. Crawfish were also popular in the Nordic countries we visited this trip, though the seasoning was different (salt, sugar and ale). Don’t bother with crawfish in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway or Finland — Rouses boils crawfish better than anyone else in the world. We invited everyone we met to come try them on the Gulf Coast. Overall, the food on this trip overall was blander than we’re used to; fortunately we managed to find some Tabasco. Of all the cities we stayed in on this trip, food-wise, Helsinki was our favorite. Fish pies, smoked fish, cured fish, fish sandwiches — if it has fins, they eat it in Finland. They also sell it at Helsinki’s open-air market, Hakaniemi. The market is a must visit even if you aren’t in the grocery business. It’s right on the water, and fishing boats tie up to sell fresh fish right there on the dock. We visited the boats, toured the food stalls, and ate karelian pies made with rye bread — and, what else? — mashed potatoes, and muikku , small crunchy fried fish served in in a paper cone like French fries. It was a great trip. We came back with new friends, a new

HOW TO PREP Place steaks between sheets of waxed paper and pound until ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let rest for 15 minutes. Heat butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced onion and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until onions are browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add steak and cook for 3 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove beef from skillet; set aside. Add flour to the skillet, stirring constantly, until you get a roux. Return beef to the skillet and toss to coat. Mix in mustard, wine and beef stock. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer until meat is tender, about 40 minutes. Add mushrooms to meat. Stir in warm sour cream. Serve over mashed potatoes with dill (Russian-style) or local rice (Gulf Coast-style). “There are nearly 200 varieties of crawfish, but without question Louisiana’s are the best.” —James, Rouses Meat & Seafood Director

appreciation for vodka and potatoes, and a new idea for a roux- based version of Beef Stroganoff.

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MY ROUSES EVERYDAY JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2016