Cooking with YachtSea Grille Chef Rov Avila | Comfort food for the colder weather

There is something about a cold day and a hearty pasta dish that seem to go hand in hand. It gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling that makes the day better.

There is such a variety of pasta dishes out there that there is something for everyone's taste buds. I've always enjoyed a nice bowl of beef tips and noodles -- thick, hearty brown sauce, tender beef pieces, sautéed mushrooms and onions served over egg noodles.

I have recently been playing with a Burgundy sauce recipe that elevates the flavor of the dish with the addition of a few ingredients. This makes for a more playful dish flavorwise, while keeping it simple enough to make easily at home.

Tenderloin Beef Burgundy Pasta

1/2 pound beef tenderloin (if no tenderloin available sirloin or pieces of flank steak will work as well)

1 ounce butter

1 ounce olive oil

2 ounces finely chopped white onion

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

5 ounces pearl onions (fresh or frozen)

2 cups of Burgundy wine (or your choice of red wine)

3 cups beef broth

5 ounces sliced mushrooms

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

6 ounces slurry (combination of equal amounts of cornstarch and water)

4 ounces green peas (fresh or frozen)

Salt and pepper to taste (if needed)

8 ounces Gemelli pasta (or any short pasta of your choice)

In a frying pan heat the olive oil and cook the beef until seared (if desired season with salt and pepper only) save aside. Melt the butter in a sauce pot and place the chopped onions and garlic and sweat lightly for 2 minutes. Add the wine and let simmer until reduced by half, then add the beef broth and pearl onions and simmer an additional 4-6 minutes.

Boil water for pasta and cook it until desired doneness is reached (lightly al dente is usually nice) drain the water but do not rinse pasta, just add a bit of oil to keep it from sticking together and let it rest at room temperature.

As the sauce is simmering, add the heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce and the mushrooms and let simmer further until the mushrooms are tender. Add the slurry (water cornstarch mixture) and whisk until sauce thickens up, then add the green peas and the previously cooked beef tips and let cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper.

Serve the pasta in bowls and add a generous helping of the sauce over the pasta this dish. Garnish with some chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese on top for added flavor and a touch of freshness. Serves two.

Enjoy your culinary adventures.

Rov Avila, a native of Honduras, is executive chef at YachtSea Grille and a culinary arts instructor at MTI Culinary Arts.

This story was originally published December 3, 2014 at 12:00 AM.