This isn’t like chocolate!

Project: Swiss Steak (Five Roses: A Guide to Good Cooking)

When I think of the Swiss, I think of fondue and chocolate. And watches and money. I don’t think of steak. And to be honest, whenever someone said they were making Swiss steak for me I’d get nervous. That sounds like you do something “interesting” with perfectly good steak. Turns out, I was right.

2 lbs round steak 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 2 tbsp Five Roses All-Purpose Flour 2-3 tbsp fat 1 small onion, sliced 2 cups tomato juice 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce 1 tbsp chopped celery 1 tbsp chopped green pepper 1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t go out specially and buy Five Roses All-Purpose Flour. Because I already had a bunch of other flour. You can do what you like.

Leave steak in one piece or cut into serving pieces. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Five Roses Flour. Heat a heavy frying pan and melt the fat. Brown meat on both sides; brown onions. Add remaining ingredients; stir well.

Ok. Here’s where things get a little bit stupid. Do you see how much celery, mushroom and green pepper they call for? Who wants to chop just 1 tbsp of celery? 1/4 cup of mushrooms is like…one mushroom. On the green pepper front, though. I was lucky. My failed container garden from the summer came through for me.

Cover and cook slowly on top of stove or bake in a moderate oven (325F). 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Add more liquid of necessary, to keep meat from sticking. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Now, unfortunately, 1 1/2 hours later I was so hungry that I ate the Swiss steak without actually taking a picture of the finished product. Needless to say, it looked kind of like that tomato-mushroom-green pepper mess that you see above, only with less liquid.

Truthfully, this post was just an excuse to show off my baby green pepper. Caught me.