Spring Ahead

I am so ready for Spring. Aren't you? And, as much as I like hearty comfort food, I am getting tired of cooking and eating it.

For dinner tonight I was looking for something relatively quick, flavorful and a change from the normal routine.   I scouted the refrigerator and came up with a container of cremini mushrooms almost at the stage when they are just longing for a home; the end of a once vibrant bunch of parsley; and one lonely lemon.

Farro Salad with Roasted Mushooms and Parmesan sounded just perfect to me.

Carbonnades A La Flamande

It was one of those days.  You know the kind. You don't know what the day will bring, what the outcome will be or what time anyone would be home for dinner.  So I needed to prepare something ahead that would hold up well and reheat easily.

As luck would have it, I had a package of beef chuck languishing in the refrigerator begging to be used. And a search of the vegetable bin revealed two large Spanish onions and some garlic. Although there is the promise of Spring in the air, the temperatures are still in the 30's so a hearty braised beef dish for dinner sounded about right.

Carbonnades A La Flamande is a Belgian braise of  beef and onions.  Like most braised dishes it can be made ahead and reheated when you are ready to eat.

Onions are sauteed in olive oil for about ten minutes, some garlic is added along with salt and pepper.

Beef is browned. Salt, pepper, beer and a touch of brown sugar is added, then onions  go back into the casserole. Braise in oven or on top of the stove until fork tender.