Why in my stew, of course. Have I mentioned how much I love my dutch oven? This has been my best stew to date. Not to toot my own horn, but hey why be modest TOOOOT TOOOT!!!! Here is the recipe (serves 4):
1 1/2 Pounds lean beef round (cut in bite size cubes)
4 Cloves of Garlic (minced/crushed)
4 Shallots (thinly sliced)
1 large celery stalk (thinly sliced)
3 Cups of water
4 Medium sized carrots (sliced)
5-6 Yellow fleshed Petite Idaho potatoes (cut into quarters)
2 tsp mild yellow curry
3 Medium to large bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste.
In either a medium sized dutch oven or stew pot, heat 1-2 TBSP of olive oil on medium high heat. Add the garlic, shallots and celery and saute until fragrant. Add the beef cubes, allowing the meat to brown. Add the water followed by the carrots, potatoes, curry, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and allow the ingredients to simmer for about 2 hours stirring every 20 minutes or so. Uncover for about 10 minutes at the end of cooking time to allow the juices to reduce and thicken a bit. Serve and enjoy.
Today I was really craving something that would lift my spirits. Nothing can lift spirits up like food that reminds you of childhood, and nothing reminds me of childhood more than red beans. I used to love when my mom made these for me. I get the feeling my daughter feels the same way when I make them for her. Perhaps this is becoming a tradition. Here is my recipe:
1 Bag Red Kidney Beans (aprox 1 lbs, cleaned and rinsed) (I highly recommend Goya)
4 Cups of water
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Large Cloves of Garlic (crushed or minced)
2 Green Onions (sliced thin)
1 large celery stalk (sliced thin)
1 Plum/Roma tomato (De-seeded and diced)
1/2 Red Pepper (diced)
1 Large Carrot (grated)
2 Bone in Pork Chops
Salt and Pepper to taste
Put the red beans and 4 cups of water in a deep pot. Turn on burner on high heat and let the water reach a boil. Lower the heat and allow the beans to continue to simmer.
In a medium to large dutch oven add the oil, heat and add the garlic, onions, celery, tomatoes and red peppers and sweat them stirring frequently until the celery becomes translucent. Add the carrots and allow them to sweat and integrate into the other ingredients to form a nice thick base.
Add the beans, pork chops, and about 1 more cup of water into the dutch oven with the vegetable base. Cook on high until everything is simmering. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium low and allow the ingredients to stew, stirring every 20 minutes or so until the beans are tender and the meat on the pork chops falls off the bone. Enjoy.
