Cooking with David Maciel

Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza

I was asked by a good friend if I had a salisbury steak recipe.

A bit of history – it was first made by James Salisbury during the civil war era. There are 100s of variations, but I’ve made this one countless times. It’s from the 1920s menu for The Palace Hotel SF. It’s certainly a belly warming meal especially with a nice hunk of sour dough bread.

Here ya go, Melanie Hall. Bon appétit!

Ingredients

• • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 Tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil , for the skillet
  • 1 medium onion , sliced
  • 7 ounces cremini mushrooms , sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 2 Tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 ¾ cup beef broth , divided
  • 1-2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Steaks
In a large bowl, mix by hand the ground beef, panko, egg, ketchup, mustard, oregano, salt, and pepper until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Divide the mixture equally into 4 portions and shape into oval patties, about 3/4-inch thick.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown on each side. Reduce the heat if browning too quickly. Transfer to a plate.

Gravy
In the same skillet, sauté the onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat 7 to 9 minutes, or the onions are tender and the mushrooms are seared. Transfer to the same plate as the patties.

Add the butter to the skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Whisk in the beef broth, Worcestershire, and garlic powder until well combined.

In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth. Whisk into the skillet until combined.

Transfer the onions, mushrooms, and beef patties (with any juice) back to the skillet. Cook 10 minutes, or until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 160°F on a digital thermometer and the gravy has thickened. Add 1 Tablespoon water or beef broth if the gravy gets too thick. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes or noodles.

George was born on the family’s dairy ranch in Los Banos, California to Joe and Mary Silva. He grew up with his sister, Rosemarie, attended local schools, and graduated from Los Banos High School in 1954. George then went on to College
of the Pacific in Stockton (later to become University of the Pacific), where he was in the first class to graduate from their new School of Pharmacy.

George served his country at the Army’s hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, achieving the rank of Second Lieutenant.

While working for Tuttle’s Pharmacy in Santa Rosa, George moved his family to Cloverdale where he opened and managed a branch for Tuttle’s. In 1977 he purchased the business and changed the name to Silva’s Pharmacy. He enjoyed the work and his customers, but due to health issues George retired in 1989.

George was a member of Living Water Church. He served on the Cloverdale School board for 17 years and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

George is survived by his wife, Ann, his sons Brad (Shari), Alan, Michael (Marea), his stepsons Mark (Cindy), Jon (Angela), seven grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. George loved the Lord, his family, friends, Wrights Lake, and working in his woodshop. He will be missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of George’s life will be held at Living Water Church on May 3rd at 11am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Providence St. Joseph Hospice, 439 College Avenue, Santa Rosa CA 95401