Menu of the Week: Hamburger Steak, Peas, Potatoes, and Okra

Freshfully Market

By: Emily Brown | Posted on: 08/07/2012 at 09:55 AM

This week's menu is so Southern, you'll have to call it supper – comfort food that nourishes your spirit as much as your body. Liven up a Tuesday night with this feast, or gather family for a Sunday reunion. You can place bets on who you'll find napping on the couch afterward. We've left dessert up to you this week, but I suggest a fried apple pie or a peach cobbler to round out the theme.

Hamburger Steak with Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy: I remember eating hamburger steak at cafeterias with my great grandmother, but those steam tables have nothing on this homemade version, especially with grass-fed beef or primeburger. Take the time to make the breadcrumbs yourself with our honey wheat bread from Big Sky. This meal is meant for a meditative afternoon of puttering around the kitchen. Tip: If you are pressed for time, the patties can be made ahead and frozen. Just thaw and heat with the sweet onion-mushroom gravy.

Lady Peas: Lady peas, so named for their delicate size, cook quick when they're fresh like ours from Southern Oaks farm. We've subbed Benton's bacon (!!!) for the salt pork, so you'll have some left over for breakfast or BLTs. Once you've got these peas simmering on the backburner, you'll be free to prep the rest of the meal. Easy peasy.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes: Though most of this meal smacks of tradition, these mashed potatoes bring a little new style to the party with the addition of sweet roasted garlic and Belle Chevre goat cheese. If you've never roasted garlic before, you might think you've discovered America. It's that good. We put the goat cheese in as a substitute for cream cheese, so you get a slightly healthier version of the recipe, plus the amazing tang and smooth texture goat cheese offers.

Nutty Okra: Something about the addition of finely chopped peanuts from the Peanut Depot to this recipe makes me think this okra needs to be Birmingham's new signature dish. And a little extra crunch (and salty sweetness) added to fried okra never hurt anybody. If your family isn't already salivating in the doorways from all the delicious smells coming from your kitchen, the sound of this okra frying up at the last minute will serve as your dinner bell, or supper song. You get the picture.

Round out the meal with Just Julia's crumbly cornbread and whatever dessert you like. Or just save an extra helping of okra for your sweet tooth. My mom always says it's like candy.

Freshfully Shopping List:

1 bag Big Sky honey wheat bread

1 lb. ground beef or primeburger

Dozen farm eggs

5 heads garlic from Luddite Farms

4-5 small sweet onion from Hepzibah farms

2 bags shelled lady peas from Southern Oaks farm

1 pkg. bacon from Benton's

1 lb. fresh okra from Southern Oaks Farm

Just Julia's Cornbread

1 bag Peanut Depot salted peanuts

1 bottle Herb Inc olive oil

6 lbs. potatoes

1 1/2 cups Belle Chèvre montrachet goat cheese (substitute for cream cheese)

1/2 gallon Alabama Organics milk

 

 

And the rest:

salt

pepper

1 pkg gravy mix (or make your own)

vegetable oil (or safflower or other lighter oil)

1 pkg sliced mushrooms

1 cup all-purpose baking mix

Peanut oil

 

Photo credit JoeFoodie