Recipe: Shmooey, Or A Quick Meal For A Busy Day

Every family has its own recipes, often linked to family memories. Being mostly of British origin, I recall having roast beef with gravy every Sunday, followed by Shepherd's Pie made with the leftovers the next day.
These days it's not my favourite type of meal, but I can tell you that there is not much that is more delightful than bounding into the house on a cold winter's day, red-checked and breathless, to be greeted by the aroma of a cooking roast. Absolutely mouth-watering.

I don't have a particularly special roast beef recipe, but I do have a recipe that is unique to my family: shmooey. Someone in my family dubbed it that years ago -- so long ago that I don't remember who.

It's a perfect, cheap, easy concoction to throw together at the end of a busy day. And, for some reason, it is tasty in an indirect proportion to its humble ingredients.

Shmooey

Ground beef
choppped onion
chopped mushrooms

canned peas

minced garlic

soy sauce (I use sodium-reduced these days)

I haven't included amounts because it would be quite easy to vary them according to taste. However, about a pound (or a half kilo) of ground beef is enough to serve four to six people, depending on appetites.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add the onion and garlic; saute for a few minutes to soften.

Turn the heat up a notch or two, toss in the ground beef and stir. After five minutes, add the mushrooms. Fry until the beef is almost cooked, a further five to ten minutes. Add the peas at the end and stir. Give the peas enough time to warm up.

Add soy sauce in the amount that you desire based on your taste preferences. I use about 2 to 3 tbsps.

When the meat is fully browned, throw it into a colander to drain.
Serve on top of cooked rice along with a crusty baguette and -- voila -- you have a complete meal.
Enjoy!
Vanessa