.....and that's not necessarily a good thing this time of year. This is the time of year when even a self proclaimed winter-lovin', snow-appreciatin' Maine woman is ready for daffodils and robins and a little green grass.
But, we're not alone in this late winter whitefest--at one point yesterday it was snowing from Atlanta to Bangor, and I still believe that if you live in Maine, then you can't complain about the weather.
Plus, this storm gave me a perfect excuse to make a beef stew. Not just any stew, but Ina Garten's Parker's Beef Stew. The recipe comes from her Back to Basics Cookbook and while it does require a little bit of planning so you can marinate the beef overnight, it is absolutely the best stew, evah and worth every bit of prep and cook time. It can also be made a day ahead and then warmed in the oven before serving. It might even be just a bit better that way.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine
- 2 whole garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Good olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1/2 pound white mushrooms, stems discarded and cut in 1/2
- 1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) chicken stock or broth
- 1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
- 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas
Directions
Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper.
Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the
bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the
cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. Heat
2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over
medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef
in a large oven-proof Dutch oven and continue to brown the remaining
beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need
more oil.) Place all the beef in the Dutch oven.
Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the
onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over
medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more
minutes. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven over the beef. Add
2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high
heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits
with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried
tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons
pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven
and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the
pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, until the
meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If
the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275
degrees F.
Before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot.
Recent Comments