recipe / #comfortfood

Asian Beef and Noodles

Makes 8 servings

2 pounds Fantasma's Finest Beef Stew Meat

1 packet vegetable soup mix (such as Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix)

2 cups Asian Spice Stock (use beef or chicken broth if desired)

1 pound wide Amish noodles

Chopped parsley, for garnish

Chile crunch, for garnish

In a slow cooker, add stew meat, soup mix and broth. Cook stew mixture on low for 8 to 10 hours. Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente; drain and rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Stir noodles into the slow cooker. To serve, garnish with parsley and chile crunch.

Asian Spice Stock

Makes 1 gallon

1 Fantasma's Finest Smoked Turkey Carcass 

6-8 star anise

2-3 cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon fennel

1 teaspoon tri-color peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1-inch knob ginger, sliced

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2-3 green onions, sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 handful parsley

Place the carcass in a stockpot and fill with enough water to submerge the carcass. Add all ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and allow the broth to simmer for several hours. Allow broth to cool, skim white fat and use broth in a recipe, or portion into freezer containers for later use.

Pork Stew with Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Apples and Green Beans

Makes 8-10 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons taco seasoning

1 (3-pound) Fantasma's Finest Boneless Pork Loin Roast, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/2 cup white wine

2 stewing apples, such as McIntosh, Braeburn or Winesap, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into 1-inch cubes

4 small, sweet potatoes, peeled, chopped into chunks

2 cups beef stock

2 cups spicy vegetable juice

2 teaspoons black cocoa chile powder (or other blend)

1-pound fresh green beans, cut into bite-size pieces, steamed

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat.

Put the stew meat in a large mixing bowl, add flour and taco seasoning; rub the mixture into the meat. In batches, add seasoned stew meat to a heated pan and using tongs, sauté until brown on all sides. Remove the first batch of stew meat and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Continue to brown stew meat until all meat has been browned.

Add wine and apples to the sauté pan, and deglaze the pan, stirring occasionally until the wine evaporates. Pour the apples over the stew meat.

Add sweet potatoes and squash to the slow cooker. Pour stock and vegetable juice over the stew ingredients. Sprinkle black cocoa chile powder over the top and cook on medium-high for 4-6 hours.

Stir green beans into the stew, garnish with parsley and serve.

Pork Medallions and Egg Noodle Stroganoff

Makes 8 servings

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Hungarian smoked paprika, plus garnish

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound Fantasma's Finest Pork Medallions, sliced into 1/2-inch strips (available in retail store)

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus 2 teaspoons

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely diced

16 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons Dijon country mustard

About 3 ounces (1/2 package) Boursin cheese with herbs

1/2 cup beef stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt, to taste

1 (16-ounce) package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Parsley, chopped

On a plate, season flour with paprika and pepper. Pat the pork medallions dry with a paper towel and dredge in seasoned flour.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and add first batch of pork, making sure not to crowd, and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides; set aside on paper towel. Sauté the second batch and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil to the pan. Sauté onion and mushrooms until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have expressed all their liquid and begin to brown; set aside.

Add broth to the pan to deglaze over low heat. Using a whisk, incorporate mustard, Boursin, and cream, continuing to scrape up the browned bits to create a gravy. Add pork back and allow the liquid to continue to thicken. Fold in mushroom-onion mixture and season with salt. Stir hot noodles into the skillet. Garnish with parsley and a sprinkle of paprika. Stroganoff is best served immediately!