Can you picture it now? Two oval ground beef patties swimming in brown gravy in their own compartment to prevent the gravy from mixing onto a section of mashed potatoes and maybe some corn or peas and carrots. A frozen meal for a kid from the 70’s who might have thought it was a treat to have a TV Dinner.
This is a great weeknight option – if you stay out of the Frozen Food aisle.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
7 Tbsp. instant potato flakes
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 Tbsp. beefy-onion soup mix
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 onion, halved and sliced thin
1 lb. white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
Directions:
Whisk milk and potato flakes in a large bowl. Add beef, salt and pepper to taste, minced onion, parsley, egg, beefy-onion soup mix and Worcestershire sauce and mix until combined. Shape into four 1/2-inch oval patties and transfer to plate. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties until well browned on each side, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate.
Add onion and remaining 3 Tbsp. butter to now-empty skillet and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/2 tsp. salt and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and flour and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Slowly stir in broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Return patties to skillet, cover, and simmer over medium low heat until cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles or rice.
