Kitchen Conundrum

100th Post- Comfort and Beef Stew

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When I sat down to write today I realized that this is our 100th post! Wow, has the time flown. And while this blog is still a work in progress, it has come rather far from it’s humble beginnings! I am rather proud of what we have accomplished so far, but it still has a long way to go in my opinion. But, ever slowly, it will evolve and become everything we desire it to be in good time. Meanwhile, I do hope that you will stick around and share some of our favorite eats, drinks and antics with us. Because there will be many!

As you may or may not know, this has not been the most healthful year for me. The year started off with the cancer scare, then the kidney issues and a few surgeries, then endless colds and most recently, pneumonia, which was by far the sickest I have ever been. It wiped me out for nearly four weeks. I am better now, but still tire very easily, which, with a four year old running around, doesn’t make for very good days overall. There has been far too much time spent unproductively lying in bed.

The one good thing about lying in bed though is all the wonderful comfort foods I have enjoyed this past month. Homemade chicken soup; not only does it nourish the body, but it soothes the soul as well. Don’t forget the matzoh balls the size of baseballs! Dense, slightly salty and oh so filling.   There has been chicken and dumplings, made the way my aunt makes them, rolling out the dumplings and filled with large pieces of chicken and carrots. It’s truly heaven in a bowl. My favorite meatloaf, chock full of veggies and mashed potatoes with homemade gravy. It’s been really a month of comfort and good eats.

While Ari made several of the items, I have been feeling up to cooking this week and tonight the comfort food of choice is Beef Stew. A sort of cross between Beef Bourguignon and a traditional stew, it’s perfectly filling and only gets better with a day or two in the fridge. Serve with a big piece of crusty bread and a glass of hearty red. Start a fire in the fireplace and curl up with a blanket and a tray on your lap. It’ll be a great evening.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chuck beef or stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch
cubes

1 cup all-purpose flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cloves

2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. thyme

3 tbs.  olive oil

1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine, Cote du Rhone or Pinot Noir
(or a mix of open bottles)

3 whole garlic cloves, smashed

2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 cups or chicken or beef stock or 1 cup stock and 1 cup
water

3 bay leaves

2 tbs. tomato paste

2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch circles

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch
chunks

1 pound small potatoes, quartered

1 large branch fresh rosemary

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

 

Method

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, cloves, paprika and thyme
in a small bowl. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and
then shake off the excess. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven and
brown the beef over medium high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown
evenly.  Remove the meat to a plate and
add the red wine to the pot scraping up the brown bits. Add the garlic and Worcestershire
sauce and cook for 2 minutes before returning the meat and it’s juices to the
Dutch oven.

Add the stock, bay leaves and the tomato paste dissolving it
amongst the liquid. Let cook for one hour over medium heat, simmering but being
sure not to boil the liquid as it will reduce too quickly.

After an hour, add the onions, carrots, potatoes and
rosemary to the Dutch oven. Simmer over medium heat for another hour and a half
or until the meat is fork tender and the potatoes can be pierced easily.

Right before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to
taste, and serve hot with crusty bread.

Options

As with any recipe, it’s up to you and your tastes to add
whatever ingredients you like.  If you happen
to have fresh mushrooms, green beans or a bag of pearl onions, you can add them
right at the end. Just keep in mind that root vegetables, yams and such should
go in with the carrots and potatoes to assure their cooking through. Fragile
veggies can go in right at the end.  Experiment and have fun!

 

Ari’s Smokin’ Chili Reicpe

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The Northeast has been just slammed with one snow storm after the other and we have all been basically trapped in our houses for days on end. During this forced hibernation, we’ve sought warmth and comfort, whether it be a cup of tea and a warm duvet, or hanging out in fuzzy slippers and pjs while playing the Wii with the kids. It’s just those kinds of days.

We’ve also been cooking things that are comforting and warming. There has been Irish Oatmeal and Popovers for breakfast, homemade Macaroni and Cheese for lunch and soups and stews of various varieties for dinner. Anything to just keep us warm on the inside and fuel us while we shovel out a path to the rest of the world.

Last weekend, during yet another snowstorm and a day inside, we were glued to the TV in hopes that our home football team, from NY*, would win and take us on to the big game (otherwise known as the Super “Bleep”**). That didn’t quite happen, but we really enjoyed the chili and cornbread we ate while rooting them on.

*Rhymes with lets, pets, and bets. **Apparently only officially licensed sponsors can use the real name. And did you know, that you can’t actually say the Team Name? It’s true. You can only refer to their cities of origin but not by their official NFL monikers. I’m not even sure if you can say NFL. Opps. Said it twice! (And yes, I know, I probably can say their names because I am not actually advertising or selling anything. I just didn’t want to.)

 

Ingredients

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 lbs ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Jalapeno diced, (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)

2 chipotle peppers, canned variety with a some paste, diced

1 can red kidney beans, drained

1 cup water

1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)

1 tbs cayenne pepper

½ tsp Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera- Dulce, a sweet, smoky paprika)

1 tbs red pepper flakes

1 tbs ground cumin

1½ tsp oregano

1½ tsp thyme

½ tsp ground coriander

Method

In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Cook the meat, turning frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula until browned through. Once cooked, remove the meat with a slotted spoon from pot and set aside in a bowl, leaving the liquids in the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, Jalapeno and sauté until tender. Add the canned tomatoes, the chipotles and the beans. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Return the meat to the pot and add the water and tomato paste. Combine well and reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

At this time, remove the cover and add the cayenne, paprika, red pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme and coriander and mix well. Let cook, continuing to simmer, uncovered for an additional half hour.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. You may also add additional cayenne pepper if you prefer a hotter spice.

Spoon into large bowls and serve with corn bread or tortilla chips. You can also add toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, chopped onion or chopped jalapenos.

 

However you like it, enjoy and may it keep you warm!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

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We love the fine line between sweet and savory that an ingredient like pumpkin conveys. In our pumpkin soup, we created  a balance of sweet and spicy with the addition of curry and cayenne but added  honey and milk  for a rich, creamy soup. The sour cream added right at the end gave the soup a luxuriously velvety finish while the fried onions added a chewy and flavorful mouthful.

This soup is perfect for a cold snow day, like today!

 

Makes 1 quart of soup

Ingredients

3 tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, ½ chopped, ½ sliced for garnish

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. coriander powder

1/4 tsp. cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ cup honey

2 cup  vegetable stock

1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree or 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree

½  cup whole milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream for garnish

Method

In a small frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tbs. olive oil. When hot, add the sliced onions and fry until crispy. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until softened. Add in the spices and the honey. Cook for another minute.  Add stock and pumpkin puree, mixing thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer soup for 10 minutes. Add the milk and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.

Into a small bowl, ladle soup and add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fried onions.