COOKING WITH CLORIS - GUEST AUTHOR LIZ LIPPERMAN

Mystery author Liz Lipperman is filling in for Cloris today. Liz started writing many years ago, but pesky villains kept popping up in her romances. She finally gave up on romance and decided, since she read mysteries and obviously wrote them, why fight it? Two years ago, she signed her first contract for the Clueless Cook Mystery Series. Liver Let Die debuted in October, 2011. Her latest release is Beef Stolen-Off. In addition to two more books in that series, Liz will have a paranormal mystery series debuting with Midnight Ink in May 2013. Learn more about Liz and her books at her website. 

Berkley is sending a copy of Beef Stolen-Off to one lucky commenter today. This is open to US residents only (their requirement.). The winner will be announced on Sunday, so don’t forget to stop back to see who wins. -- AP

First off, thanks to Anastasia for inviting me here to share one of the recipes from Beef Stolen-Off, the second book in my Clueless Cook series that released this month from Berkley Prime Crime. Here’s a short summary.

 In Liver Let Die, the first book of the series, you met Jordan McAllister, a wannabe sports reporter who followed her boyfriend to Dallas, got dumped, and ended up in a small Texas town where she landed a job writing personals. When an opportunity came up to fill in for the culinary reporter who was rehabbing a broken hip, she jumped on it, thinking it was one step closer to writing that sports column she wanted so badly. The problem was she was raised in West Texas, the only girl with three brothers who needed her outside every day to even up the sides for football games, and although she could throw a razor-sharp touchdown pass from 50 yards, she can’t cook her way out of a box of macaroni and cheese.

           

As the food columnist for The Ranchero Globe, Jordan McAllister catches the eye of cattle baron Lucas Santana, who invites her to the Cattleman’s Ball, hoping a positive review for the ball might boost the county’s sagging beef sales.

To ensure Jordan enjoys herself, Santana sets her up with a prime cowboy companion for the event—Rusty Morales. Jordan’s delighted to go with him and two-step the night away. But instead, she winds up in the emergency room where her date is DOA.

When Rusty’s mother begs her for help, Jordan knows she needs to grab the bull by the horns and get to the bottom of this mystery before she corrals herself into trouble…

I love cowboys and had so much fun writing this book. Like Jordan, I am not much of a beef eater, preferring chicken and casseroles over beef. However, I do like ground beef and cheap cuts of steak. The recipe I’ve included below is one of my favorites and came right out of my mother’s cookbook. If it were up to my kids, we’d eat this every Sunday for family get-togethers. When I was younger my dad was sick a lot, and my mother worked three jobs to keep us off Welfare (I am one of 9 siblings.) One of those jobs was cooking at a motel that catered to truck drivers. I guarantee those truckers came from miles away on the nights they knew her Baked Steak and Gravy was on the menu. I know you’ll enjoy it, too. Here it is:

Bella’s Steak and Gravy

                    

(Boeuf cuis au jus de Viande)

Yields 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound (3-4 pieces) top round steak

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided

1 tablespoon cooking oil

4 beef bouillon cubes

2 teaspoons pepper

Preheat the oven to 325°F

Cut the meat into 3-4 single serving size pieces if it has not already been done. Trim all the fat. Sprinkle a little flour (approximately 1 tablespoon) on one side of the steak and pound it in with a tenderizing hammer, flattening the steak. Turn and repeat for the other side. (If you use a butcher, you can ask him to tenderize the steak for you. Then, you can simply rub a little flour on each side of the meat.)

In a Dutch oven or skillet that has a lid, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the steak pieces on both sides (2-3 minutes per side), working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan. When all the pieces are browned, place them back in the Dutch oven, layering them. In a bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of flour and 2½ cups of water, blending well. Pour the mixture into the Dutch oven. The liquid should cover the steak and will become the gravy. Whisk out any clumps of flour, then add the bouillon cubes and pepper. Continue cooking on the top of the stove until bubbling.

Cover and transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and cook for 1½ hours. After about 45 minutes, check the gravy for thickness: if it is too thick, add more water: if it is too thin, add a tablespoon of flour to 4 ounces of water and whisk until smooth before adding to the gravy. If the flour clumps, simply remove it with a louvered spoon. Taste it and see if it needs more pepper or bouillon cubes. If you are doubling the recipe, add one bouillon cube at a time after the initial four cubes and taste after each one. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Sounds yummy, Liz! Don’t you think so, readers? Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Beef Stolen-Off. -- AP