If you too have those days when all you want to do is get a decent dinner on the table with a minimum of effort and especially without a drive to your local grocery store, this dish is for you.

On a recent morning I took a package of ground beef out of the freezer without any real idea of what I was going to prepare that evening. It sat on my drain board for hours while I went about my daily routine, never giving it a second thought. So when it came time to actually do something with the meat, I decided to make a Salisbury steak. But what should go into a Salisbury steak? So I went on line and took ideas from several recipes and came up with this combination.

Now I really wanted to include mushrooms in this dish. But there was no way either Mr. C. or I were going to make a trip to the grocery store for fresh mushrooms. Plus I love dried mushrooms, so I decided to go that route. (And yes, I always have at least three types of dried mushrooms in my pantry.) They are just so delicious and always add just that gourmet touch to all kinds of savory dishes. Plus when you consider how often I don’t have fresh mushrooms around and would have to make a special trip to the store for them, I figure the savings on gas alone is justification for the money spent on the dried fungi. (Given enough provocation, I could probably justify spending money on almost any ingredient or tool in my kitchen. But I won’t bore you with any more of my personal idiosyncrasies.)

Suffice it to say, this dish was a hit at the Carr table. We both loved the tender and juicy beef patties and look forward to enjoying them again in the near future. And I’m sure that will happen soon. We always have ground beef in the freezer, and my interest in spending hours preparing dinner is waning. Could be my age, but I suspect it’s more my discovery of yet another great mystery writer. (I think my admitting to being an avid reader doesn’t fit the definition of a personal idiosyncrasy, so therefore acceptable to disclose.) Should you be interested, I just started reading Peter Robinson’s novels featuring Inspector Banks. (Thank you Stephany C. and Laurie Z. for the introduction.) And just like the books featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache by mystery writer Louise Penny, start with the first book in the series and enjoy both the individual stories and the character development throughout the series. But while you’re at it, stop long enough to whip up this dish and sit down to a down home dinner. Nothing is better than a warm, savory meat dish on a cold, rainy winter evening. Plus with your fellow diners happy and well fed you can get back to your book without a hint of contrition. And doesn’t that always feel wonderful! Peace and love (and good reading) to all.

• ¼ c. small pieces of dried mushrooms (your choice)
• ½ c. very hot water
• 1 T. Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 egg
• 3 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• ½ med. onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T. flour
• 2 c. beef broth
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. Kitchen Bouquet*, opt.  

Place the dried mushroom pieces in a bowl with the hot water. Set aside. Drain off the water before using in the gravy. Retain the water however. It can be used if required to thin out the gravy. Whisk the Montreal Seasoning, egg, and 1 teaspoon of the Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl. Gentle stir in the ground beef until just combined. Don’t over mix.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Divide the meat mixture into 4 patties. Don’t press the meat together. Just shape it gently. Place the patties in the frying pan and cook the first side until nicely browned. Flip and brown the second side. Remove patties from pan and place on a plate. (The inside will still be raw.)

Add the chopped onion to the fry pan and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the butter and garlic to the pan; cook for one minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute before carefully adding the beef broth. When the gravy is smooth, stir in the Dijon mustard, Kitchen Bouquet, remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, drained mushrooms, and a good bit of black pepper.

Add the beef patties and any remaining juice from the plate. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. If the gravy becomes too thick, add the mushroom water or a bit of plain water until desired thickness is achieved. Adjust seasoning. (Your gravy may need a bit of salt.)

Serve the Salisbury steaks topped with gravy. (The gravy is also wonderful on mashed potatoes.) Add a nice salad and/or a steamed veggie, and life is good!

*Kitchen Bouquet is a browning and seasoning sauce primarily composed of caramel with vegetable flavorings. It has been in use as a flavoring addition for gravies and other foods since approximately 1873. Though it’s typically used in meat dishes, it is entirely vegetarian, made from a base of carrots, cabbage, turnips, parsnips, celery, and onion. It’s also MSG-free. It is simply a bottled condiment sauce used as an ingredient in cooking, rather than as a table condiment. It is mostly used for its ability to add a dark brown color. It’s generically referred to as a “browning agent.”