Not many people name menu items after their dogs! We do! When I married my husband, I also married his dog. Sultan was a beautiful long hair German Shepherd that had been with him several years when I came along, and he stayed with us for several more. He ate canned dog food that looked just like beef stew complete with the peas and carrots and potatoes. Sultan wouldn't eat the peas and he actual mastered spitting them out the side of his mouth while he chewed the other ingredients! He was a dandy! So, for 30 years after he had passed on ... anything that even resembled Sultan's expensive dog food ... was named after Sultan! Sometimes my husband would even leave a few peas in his plate for a chuckle.
This picture is not our Sultan but he could be his child! He was big, furry and warm. He was middle aged when he learned to play Barbies without eating their heads or nibbling on their feet. He gladly wore earrings and beaded necklaces from our grandma collection. It was not uncommon for my husband to come home from work and find his prized pet in a man's shirt or a little girl's dress. Children loved him and he loved them back!
I'm happy to share the recipe for this quick meal. With meat prices the way they are, we are all looking for ways to prepare the less expensive cuts of meat, especially beef. We grew up on minute steaks and raised our daughter on minute steaks! They are delicious and take on whatever flavor you add to them. They can be pan-fried, roasted or grilled. We love them smothered in brown gravy. That is real comfort food! But we also love them on the grill. I usually marinate them and I'll post some of those recipes later.
Sultan's Minute Steaks
4 - 6 four ounce minute steaks
Canola oil for frying
flour for dredging and gravy thickening
salt and pepper
Beef flavor base for gravy
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
4 carrots, sliced
While the oil heats in a big heavy skillet, dredge the minute steaks in the flour and place them in the skillet. Brown them on both sides and remove them from the skillet. Make sure you have about 3 Tablespoons of oil left in the skillet; turn the temperature to low; add 3 Tablespoons of flour and 1 Tablespoon of brown gravy base to the oil and stir quickly to make a roux. Add 3 cups of water to the skillet and whisk for a smooth gravy.
Put the minute steaks back into the gravy; add the peas and carrots; put a lid on the skillet and place it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 Degrees. You'll be able to cut the steaks with a fork. Serve with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes!
