Most Swedish kids return to schools today after their 10-week-long summer vacation. It’s their first day of the autumn term. The summer season is definitely over and autumn is knocking at our door. The sun does no longer brighten the nights and lengthen our sightseeing days. It’s getting colder and darker. And we get an appetite for warm meals such as soups or stews.

Making this beef stew is not time consuming and it does not require hours standing over a hot stove.

INGREDIENTS:

serves 2

* 300 grams tender beef stew meat (preferably young elk)

* 5 shallots

* 250 ml (1 cup) yellow chanterelles (prepared by using the “dry saute” method ).

* 300 ml cream

* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce®

* 1 tablespoon beef fond (or beef broth concentrate, or 1 beef stock cube)

* 1 tablespoon mustard

* 1 tablespoon tomato purée

* butter for frying

* salt and pepper to taste

* fresh parsley, for garnish

METHOD:

1. Cut the beef stew meat into small bite size pieces.

2. Brown the meat in butter in a heavy frying pan over high heat.

3. Lower the heat and simmer until tender.

4. Cut shallots in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 wedges.

5. Fry the chanterelles in butter over medium heat and allow them to absorb the butter.

6. Then add the shallotes and stir fry over medium heat for a minute.

7. Bring cream to boil in a rather small pot, add Worcestershire Sauce, beef fond, mustard and tomato purée.

8. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.

9. Pour the cream sauce over the meat, chanterelles and shallotes. Heat through and serve hot.

Since fresh chanterelles hold water, I always prepare them by using the “dry saute” method: After cleaning, the chanterelles are sliced and put in a covered pan over heat. The chanterelles then release their water. I add ½ teaspoon of salt and continue to let them cook. I lower the heat and continue to cook until they are softened, which will take about 10 minutes.

The Worcestershire Sauce® (The Original & Genuine Lea & Perrins) adds a nice zest to the flavor of the stew.

I served this stew with new potatoes,

red currant jelly…

…and small sweet and sour pickled yellow chanterelles.

Source: My Recipes