Salisbury Steak and I have a long history. It’s not a pretty story. It’s not a horror show, either, but it’s not pretty. I’ve yet to find one that I’m really psyched about. It’s always just, “oh, okay…salisbury steak. Did we have nothing else in the house? Meh.”

Rachael Ray also very rarely matches my tastes. When I like it, I love it, but most of the time I don’t like it and I *really* don’t like it. So I’m nervous but excited about this recipe that I found.  I figure, even if the steak is bad, you could probably put anything with those mashed potatoes and it would be FABULOUS.

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chunked, 3 large potatoes
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half or cream, eyeball it
4 ounces, 1/2 cup garlic and herb cheese (recommended: Boursin)
3 tablespoons chopped chives or, 2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 1/4 pounds ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick) or, coarse salt and pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons, 3 turns of the pan
12 crimini or baby portobellos, sliced
12 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock

Place potatoes in a pot and covered with water. Cover pot with lid and bring water to a boil. Salt boiling water and potatoes. Leave lid off pot and simmer at rolling boil until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

While potatoes cook, combine meat, Worcestershire, onion and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Form 2 large, oval patties, 1-inch thick.

Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the meat patties to a hot pan. Cook meat 6 minutes on each side until meat is evenly caramelized on the outside and juices run clear. Remove meat and cover with loose tin foil to keep warm. Add 1 more turn of the pan extra-virgin olive oil and butter to the pan, then the mushrooms. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and saute mushrooms until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

To mushrooms, add a sprinkle of flour to the pan and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in stock and thicken 1 minute.

While sauce thickens, drain potatoes and return to hot pot. Smash potatoes with a little half-and- half or cream and garlic and herb cheese. Smash and incorporate chives. Add salt and pepper, to your taste.