1 qt. stale bread crumbs
1 c. stewed tomatoes
1 small onion
1 Tb. salt
2 Tb. butter
1/4 Tb. pepper
1 c. hot water
[Illustration: FIG. 13] Mix all together. Pile on top of the broiled
steak and roll the steak so that the edges lap over each other and the
dressing is completely covered. Fasten together with skewers or tie by
wrapping a cord around the roll. Strips of bacon or salt pork tied to
the outside or fastened with small skewers improve the flavor of the
meat. Place in a roasting pan and bake in a hot oven until the steak is
thoroughly baked. This will require not less than 40 minutes. Cut into
slices and serve hot.
46. SKIRT STEAK.--Lying inside the ribs and extending from the second
or third rib to the breast bone is a thin strip of muscle known as a
skirt steak. This is removed before the ribs are cut for roasts, and, as
shown in Fig. 13, is slit through the center with a long, sharp knife to
form a pocket into which stuffing can be put. As a skirt steak is not
expensive and has excellent flavor, it is a very desirable piece
of meat.
To prepare such a steak for the table, stuff it with the stuffing given
for rolled steak in Art. 45, and then fasten the edges together with
skewers. Bake in a hot oven until the steak is well done. Serve hot.
47. SWISS STEAK.--Another very appetizing dish that can be made from the
cheaper steaks is Swiss steak. To be most satisfactory, the steak used
for this purpose should be about an inch thick.
Pound as much dry flour as possible into both sides of the steak by
means of a wooden potato masher. Then brown it on both sides in a hot
frying pan with some of the beef fat. When it is thoroughly browned,
pour a cup of hot water over it, cover the pan tight, and remove to the
back of the stove. Have just enough water on the steak and apply just
enough heat to keep it simmering very slowly for about 1/2 hour. As the
meat cooks, the water will form a gravy by becoming thickened with the
flour that has been pounded into the steak. Serve the steak with
this gravy.
48. HAMBURGER STEAK.--The tougher pieces of beef, such as the flank ends
of the steak and parts of the rump, the round, and the chuck, may be
ground fine by being forced through a food chopper. Such meat is very
frequently combined with egg and then formed into small cakes or patties
to make Hamburger steak. Besides providing a way to utilize pieces of
meat that might otherwise be wasted, this dish affords variety to
the diet.
HAMBURGER STEAK
(Sufficient to Serve Four)
1 lb. chopped beef
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg (if desired)
1/4 tsp. pepper
Mix the ingredients thoroughly and shape into thin patties. Cook by
broiling in a pan placed in the broiler or by pan-broiling in a hot,
well-greased frying pan. Spread with butter when ready to serve.
49. PLANKED STEAK.--A dish that the housewife generally considers too
complicated for her, but that may very readily be prepared in the home,
is planked steak. Such a steak gets its name from the fact that a part
of its cooking is done on a hardwood plank, and that the steak, together
with vegetables of various kinds, is served on the plank. Potatoes are
always used as one of the vegetables that are combined with planked
steak, but besides them almost any combination or variety of vegetables
may be used as a garnish. Asparagus tips, string beans, peas, tiny
onions, small carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and
stuffed tomatoes are the vegetables from which a selection is usually
made. When a tender steak is selected for this purpose and is properly
cooked, and when the vegetables are well prepared and artistically
arranged, no dish can be found that appeals more to the eye and
the taste.
To prepare this dish, broil or pan-broil one of the better cuts of steak
for about 8 minutes. Butter the plank, place the steak on the center of
it and season with salt and pepper. Mash potatoes and to each 2 cupfuls
use 4 tablespoonfuls of milk, 1 tablespoonful of butter, and one egg.
After these materials have been mixed well into the potatoes, arrange a
border of potatoes around the edge of the plank. Then garnish the steak
with whatever vegetables have been selected. Care should be taken to see
that these are properly cooked and well seasoned. If onions, mushrooms,
or carrots are used, it is well to sauté them in butter after they are
thoroughly cooked. With the steak thus prepared, place the plank under
the broiler or in a hot oven and allow it to remain there long enough to
brown the potatoes, cook the steak a little more, and thoroughly heat
all the vegetables.
50. VEGETABLES SERVED WITH STEAK.--If an attractive, as well as a tasty,
dish is desired and the housewife has not sufficient time nor the
facilities to prepare a planked steak, a good plan is to sauté a
vegetable of some kind and serve it over the steak. For this purpose
numerous vegetables are suitable, but onions, small mushrooms, and
sliced tomatoes are especially desirable. When onions are used, they
should be sliced thin and then sautéd in butter until they are soft and
brown. Small mushrooms may be prepared in the same way, or they may be
sautéd in the fat that remains in the pan after the steak has been
removed. Tomatoes that are served over steak should be sliced, rolled in
crumbs, and then sautéd.