This recipe is, I believe, in my grandmother’s handwriting. It has a note in the upper right corner reading “Dr. Matthews”. Dr. Thomas Matthews was my grandmother’s friend and organ performance mentor. I had no idea that they ever traded recipes! He passed away in 1999. I remember attending the funeral with my mother and grandmother. The church surroundings were beautiful, but the music was truly uplifting. For the curious, here is a link to more information about Dr. Matthews’ life and work.

I had never cooked or eaten this recipe before preparing it for this blog post, so I had no idea what to expect. My only previous experience with Salisbury steak was as a mass-produced meal served from a buffet line, and my memories of it were less than pleasant. This recipe, however, has turned me into a convert. It is juicy, flavorful, and absolutely addictive. Thank you, Dr. Matthews, for broadening my horizons.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup chopped raw onion

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup red wine (the original recipe suggests Burgundy; I used Merlot)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, cream, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.

This is what the mixture will look like when combined. The texture will be soft, but moldable.

Form the mixture into 4 oblong patties, about 3/4 inch thick.

Fry the patties in a skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Remove the patties from the skillet.

Pour the wine into the skillet, and stir while scraping any remaining seasoning from the bottom of the pan.

Allow this sauce to simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat and pour over the cooked patties.

Serves 4.

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