Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew

If you’re ever looking for a beef stew that you can make quickly, perhaps within 1/2 an hour, rather than the several hours most stews take, here’s your recipe. I found it in my new Fast Food My Way cookbook, by Jacques Pepin. The secret is that while most stews take a tough or slightly tough slice of meat and stew it for a few hours to make it tender, this recipe takes a tenderloin of beef (aka, Fillet Mignon, aka, $$$) and browns it quickly, maintaining the tenderness of the meat. You use a combination of fresh and frozen vegetables, also hastening the process. Know what? I had a delicious, albeit slightly expensive, beef stew on the table in about 30 minutes. It was delicious. Because the meat was expensive, there was only enough for dinner, no leftovers. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a quick, delicious dinner on a winter night.

Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced potatoes, rinsed (1/2 inch)
• 1 cup baby carrot
• 1 cup small white button mushrooms
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup fresh baby green pea (or frozen)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb beef tenderloin, fat trimmed (cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth

Cooking Instructions
Heat 1 Tbsp butter and the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until vegetables are soft when pierced and lightly browned. Add onion; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic, peas and 1/4 tsp salt; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Cover and set aside.

Heat remaining butter in another large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and foaming. Sprinkle meat with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and the pepper; add to skillet. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, turning meat until browned on all sides. Add to vegetables; stir to mix. Transfer to a platter. Add the wine and stock to the skillet and boil for about 10 seconds. Combine the meat, vegetables, and juices on four warmed plates and serve immediately.

The recipe says this is good for four, but we easily ate it all, and there are three of us. Adjust accordingly.