Monday 11 February 2013

Reader Recipe: Mademoiselle Cleghorn's Stewing Beef Casserole



We’re into week two of my month-long Caker Cooking reader bonanza and today, we travel to Quebec!

Although I try to be inclusive, there are some provinces that are caker underrepresented on this blog, Quebec being one of them. So I was as happy as Bonhomme when reader Carolyn sent me this recipe. Carolyn’s mom used to be a visiting nurse and was given this recipe by one of her patients. It became known in Carolyn's house as "Mademoiselle Cleghorn's Stewing Beef Casserole." (Can’t you just picture the pom poms on this woman's mules?)

As an added bonus, this recipe calls for golden mushroom soup, not cream of mushroom soup. The difference between the two is that golden mushroom is made from beef stock. It isn’t as easy to find as its grey cousin, but you shouldn’t have too much trouble. Just look for the glow coming from the canned soup aisle.

Speaking of glows, Mademoiselle Cleghorn's Stewing Beef Casserole warmed me right up. Chock full of tender beef and canned mushrooms, it's perfect for those nights when all you want to do is kick up your mules and listen to Mitsou.

Thanks, Carolyn!

3 lbs of stewing beef
1 package of onion soup mix
1 tin of golden mushroom soup
1 tin of button mushrooms
1/2 cup sherry (See note)
No salt or pepper

Oven 325 for 3 hrs.

Note: Cakers are often named Sherry, but they rarely cook with it. If you’ve got some, great. If not, you could probably substitute with some other kind of booze. Just not Blue Curacao.


Source: Carolyn via Carolyn's mom via Mademoiselle Cleghorn


9 comments:

  1. There's something faintly unnerving about a tinned mushroom. I think it's that 'slippery eyeball' quality that they heve. In fact I'm sure one of them just winked at me!

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    1. Usually, if the mushrooms are winking at you, they haven't cooked long enough. Leave them in for another 10 minutes or so.

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  2. Quel concept magnifique! Ooh la la, sherry. (That is the extent of my French.) I bet this would be great in a slow cooker with turnips and parsnips and a rutabaga.

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    1. Now why do you want to ruin a perfectly good dish by adding vegetables?

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  3. Other than those mushrooms, this looks worth trying. Think it would work with Bailey's (the homemade kind, because the real kind is so expensive)?

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    1. Homemade Baileys would be perfect in this, veg-o-matic. I'd also recommend Kahlua, Malibu rum or rubbing alcohol.

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  4. Hi Brian,
    sorry I made a mistake and posted a comment to the Mexican Hat recipe which I meant to post here, about Quebec caker cooking.
    E

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    1. No worries, Elizabeth. Here's your comment (in the right section.)
      Hi - sorry to be commenting so late on this post but I've only been catching up on Caker Cooking today... I've missed it! I wanted to let you know about another pretty good caker-style Quebec recipe normally served at parties like Reveillon (Christmas Eve), called "sandwiches roulés" (rolled sandwiches). 1 loaf HORIZONTALLY SLICED wonder-type bread (you can buy that in certain neighborhoods around Montreal) several cans of "Paris Paté" margarine 1 jar gerkhins or pimiento-stuffed olives. flatten 1 slice of bread; spread thinly with marg; spread with paté; line up a few pickles or olives up along one short end; roll up tight and slice across. You will not be able to stop eating these. Take care, Elizabeth on

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    2. Hold on - horizontally sliced white bread? I had no idea that even existed. I feel like someone's just told me the gates of heaven have been opened. The sandwiches sound delicious. I'll have to give them a try. I just don't trust myself to cut through a loaf of bread horizontally. I have a feeling I'd be left with nine fingers.

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