Catalan Beef Stew with Mushrooms

 

INGREDIENTS:

Stew

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, chopped fine

1/2 tsp sugar

Kosher salt and pepper

2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and pulp grated on large holes of box grater

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 bay leaf

1 1 /2 cups dry white wine

1 1/2 cups water

1 large sprig fresh thyme

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 1/2 lbs boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes

Picada

1/4 cup whole blanched almonds *blanched almonds: bring water to a boil, boil almonds for 1 minute, drain and run under cold water, then peel the skins off

2 tbsp olive oil

1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves *eh, do at least 6!

3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1/2 lb oyster mushrooms, trimmed

1 tsp sherry vinegar *apple cider vinegar works fine

DIRECTIONS:

1. For the stew: Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat to 300. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions, sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring often, until onions are deeply caramelized–30 to 40 minutes. Add tomatoes, smoked paprika, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, until darkened and thick, 5 to 10 minutes.

Add wine, water, thyme, and cinnamon to pot, scraping up any browned bits. Season beef with 1 1 /2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and add to pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, stirring after 1 hour, 1.5 to 2 hrs longer.

2. For the picada: While stew is in oven, heat almonds and 1 tbsp oil in 10 inch skillet over medium heat; cook stirring often, until almonds are golden brown, 3 to 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer almonds to food processor. Return now-empty skillet to medium heat, add bread, and cook, stirring often, until toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to food processor with almonds. Add garlic and process until mixture is finely ground, about 20 seconds, scraping bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to bowl, stir in parsley, set aside. 

3. Return now empty skillet to medium heat. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil until shimmering. Remove the woody base of the oyster mushrooms. Add mushrooms and 1/2 tsp salt, cook, stirring often, until tender–5-7 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. 

4. Remove bay leaf. Stir picada, mushrooms, and vinegar into stew. Season with salt and pepper. Serve...over rice is good.

Italian Meat Sauce

I may not have had an Italian grandmother, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a thick, hearty, meaty pasta sauce.  It may not be just like my imaginary nonna made, but it's got America's Test Kitchen's best time-saving and flavor-enhancing tips:

Recipe

4 oz white mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 onion, finely chopped
1 slice white bread, torn into quarters
2 tbsp whole milk
1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 medium can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, drained reserving 1/4 c of juice
1 large can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1/4 c-plus grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper

Process the mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a bowl.  Next pop the bread, milk, and some salt and pepper into the processor and combine into a paste.  Add the beef and mix well.

Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium high, and brown the mushroom and onion.  Add in the garlic, tomato paste, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a minute or so, then add the tomato juice and oregano, scraping/deglazing the pan.  The meat mixture is next; cook until the pink is gone but don't let it brown.  Stir in your cans of tomatoes and simmer about a half hour.

Prepare some pasta toward the end.  Stir in the cheese, and serve with more sprinkled on top!

Notes

This is pretty good.  I'm sure it could be simplified, but altogether kind of a fun cooking project.  In true grandma-fashion, its a ton of food, so be prepared to refrigerate or freeze leftovers!

Ginger-Garlic Pot Roast

I may not have a bunch of kids (or really consider myself a foodie), but this Foodie with Family recipe looked right in my wheelhouse anyway:

Recipe

3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
2 tsp vegetable or canola oil
3" ginger root, cut in half and smashed
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
4 c beef or vegetable broth or stock
2 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce
1-2 lb small red potatoes, halved
3 carrots, cut diagonally into 1" pieces
6 green onions, trimmed of root (didn't actually include these)
salt & pepper

Stage 1: Preheat the oven and high-heat the oil in an oven-safe dish with a lid.  Salt and pepper the roast, and brown the main sides a few minutes each.  Toss in the ginger and garlic, pour in the broth, and sprinkle the soy sauce over everything.  Lid on, put it in the oven.

Stage 2: Two hours later, add the potatoes, carrots, and onions; lid it and pop it back in the oven.

Stage 3: After another hour, you're done!  Well, if you want.  Remove the meat to a cutting board and scoop out the veggies (getting rid of the ginger).  You can serve over rice or noodles, sprinkle with pan juices (thickened if you want), more soy sauce, or sesame oil.  Eat.

Notes

It's probably just as well that I didn't try to do this in my tiny apartment, because the browning part was pretty aggressive and smoky.  The recipe said to let the roast sit for four minutes untouched on each side, but after like half that time the first side (top in the picture below) was already good to go.

I forgot the green onions/wasn't sure if they were the same as scallions and which of those were sitting in the fridge...  But I added a few from our bounty of apples, since apple-ginger is a thing, right?

My relatively small roast (2.8 lbs, I believe) came out pretty well-done, so it could use some pan juices to restore some moisture.  The flavors didn't penetrate the lump of meat as much as I might have hoped, but the potatoes and carrots more than made up for it - they were amazing (and the apples added a touch of sweetness)!

Overall, there's nothing very labor intensive; the hardest part is the anticipation.  The roasting ginger and garlic smell awesome!  And it makes a great, hearty meat & potatoes dinner (or for me, a few dinners).

Crockpot Flank Steak

Cannibal Stew's first corporate sponsor!

It's always nice when work overlaps and gives you something nice for your personal life.  Browsing Bank of America's social media properties for a project, I took note of a link to some money-saving crockpot recipes, and bookmarked them for a closer look later.  Here's the first one...

Recipe

3 lbs flank steak, each steak cut into thirds (if necessary - I overlooked this part with my one steak)
1 1/2 c broth
1/4 c sherry (or apple cider) vinegar
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cumin
salt & pepper
extras: tortillas, cilantro, jalapeno, rice, couscous, etc.

Do the crockpot thing: combine it all.  The meat should be submerged or close to it, so get the veggies and stuff out from under if necessary.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred the meat (let it sit 10 minutes first if you can) and serve.

Notes

It seems a pity to eat flank steak not from the grill, but no regrets about this one.  The recipe says the cut has a "meaty" flavor, which, well, how could it not be meaty?  (They also describe the whole dish
as "fragrant.")  But yeah, the flank steak really was good (if on the expensive side).

I got distracted and forgot to prep anything else to go with, so I enjoyed it as a paleo stew-type dish.  Very good, but I'd try it as tacos or over rice or, as per a reader comment on the original, couscous, which sounds even better...

Short Rib Tacos

Another rather extravagant recipe from America's Test Kitchen - totally worth the weekly email, followed by a password reset to get into their website...  This one came from a Mexican-themed set of recipes:

Recipe

Beef

1 1/2 c beer
1/2 c cider vinegar
2 oz dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn into 1" pieces
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 bay leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt & pepper
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2" rounds
3 lb boneless beef short ribs, cut into 2" cubes

Slaw

1/2 c cider vinegar
1/2 c water
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 head cabbage, cored and sliced thin
1 onion, sliced thin
1 carrot, grated
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 c cilantro, chopped

tortillas
queso fresco
avocado
lime

Start with the slaw a day ahead of time.  Whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt.  Add the cabbage, onion, carrot, jalapeno, and oregano, and toss together.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.  Drain and add the cilantro before serving.

So now it's a day later and you're hungry for meat (but not too hungry, still a couple hours to go).  Heat oven to 325.  Combine the beer, vinegar, chiles, garlic, tomato paste, and spices in a dutch oven.  Lay out a later of onion rounds, then place the meat on top.  Cover and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Now it's 2 1/2 to 3 hours later and you're really hungry!  Once the meat is browned and tender, remove the dutch oven from the, um, regular oven.  Move the meat to a bowl.  Here, ATK recommends you strain out the liquid, discard the onion and bay leaves, add water so you have 1 cup of liquid, blend the solids back in, simmer, and stir in the shredded beef.  I didn't have the patience or a blender, so I shredded the beef, mashed the broth, and scooped a few cups in until the beef had a nice flavory sauce.

Serve the tacos with beef, slaw, crumbled queso fresco, avocado (my addition), and lime wedges.

Notes

It's a pretty long list of ingredients, but somehow the effort required doesn't seem to be proportional.  It helps that you can take care of the slaw in advance, but even the next day, most of the ingredients just get mixed into the pot before adding onion and beef.

The final product is amazing.  As promised, the onions keep the beef mostly out of the liquid so it browns nicely.  The cubes were soft and almost bouncy when I pulled them out at the end!  The slaw is super tasty, and the queso adds a nice salty flavor (I didn't know exactly what to expect from either element, but the first nibble of each made me grin).  It's definitely different from what you think of for beef tacos - ground meat, lettuce, salsa, etc.  But in a good way!

Sjomansbiff

I assume that translates from the Norwegian roughly to "sea-man's beef"; according to the newly-inherited 70's-vintage Scandinavian cookbook, it's Norwegian sailor's stew.

Recipe

1 1/2 lb round steak, cut into 8 thin slices
3 tbsp butter
3 medium onions, sliced
6-8 medium potatoes, sliced
1 pint light ale
salt & pepper

Heat a skillet with the butter and brown the steak slices.  Remove, then saute the onions, sprinkling with some salt and pepper.  In a larger saucepan, layer the meat, onions, and potatoes.  Pour over any pan drippings and the ale.  Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about an hour and a half.

Notes

From skimming through the Scandinavian recipes, I conclude that (perhaps outside of fish, which I didn't check as closely at first) the cuisine is less about distinctive seasonings and flavors, and more about hearty, Viking-approved meat and potato-type meals.

This one fits right into that category.  Beef, onions, potatoes, ale, and butter - not even playing around with any veggies.  In a way, it's a little frustrating to have the meat and onions close to done, and then put it all in a pot to sit for over an hour.  I'd recommend a tasty ale, since the potatoes especially pick up the flavor.  Not sure the exact way to slice the meat either - a slanted cut would make thinner slices but take up more space to brown...  I'll definitely play around with more of these recipes - and get a little more adventurous - but for now a simple start.

Peruvian Lomo Saltado Steak & Potato Stir-Fry

Thanks to the little bro, I got to try out a few meals via Plated. As for my review of the service...  The meals I tried were all pretty good, and (though I wasn't paying attention to the difficulty) simple enough to put together.  Somewhat surprisingly, the estimates (usually ~45 minutes) were right on point, where a lot of recipes tend to be overly optimistic. The variety of meals is excellent, with more than a half-dozen options, and always multiple ones that look good to me (e.g., not vegetarian).  Of the four I tried, two were great for a change from my regular style of cooking, while the other two I could easily see myself going back to.  First one below...  Ultimately, I won't stick with Plated.  I don't need a subscription - I have enough recipes I want to try on my own.  Plus, the amount of packaging seems wasteful, especially with ingredients like butter, soy sauce, or sriracha that I have plenty of.  A good experiment, though.  So, back on point, here's one recipe:

Recipe

10 oz (inside round) steak
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp aji amarillo (the one thing I'm not sure how to replicate post-Plated)
1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1 red onion
1 green bell pepper
2 plum tomatoes
cilantro
1 cloves garlic
1/4 c red wine
1 packet soy sauce (a tsp maybe? will have to confirm)
oil, salt & pepper

Thinly slice the steak (1/4 inch slices) (against the grain), season with the spices and aji amarillo, and marinate for at least 10 minutes.  Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces, cover with water and a pinch of salt, and boil until soft (at least like 5 minutes).  Slice the onion (thinly), slice the pepper (1/4 inch slices), and chop the tomatoes (1/4 inch pieces).  Heat some oil, season the steak with salt & pepper, brown the meat on both sides, then set aside.  Heat some more oil, then add the potatoes, onion, pepper, and (smashed) garlic.  Saute until starting to brown, then add tomato until it starts to soften.  Last, you add the red wine and soy sauce, and simmer until reduced by half.  Garnish with cilantro.

Notes

My main mistake here was not to get the skillet hot enough to get a good brown on the meat - I don't always have the cojones (as the Peruvians might say) to get some real heat (and smoke) going in the apartment.  The overall dish ended up a little mushy without a real nice crisp meat element.  Very tasty though!  Worth another try...

Not that I was looking for it, but this one must have been one of their gluten-free options (unless they package the wrong soy sauce...).

Ground Beef with Eggs & Stuff

This recipe probably came out of a conversation with heavy use of the word "bro."

Recipe

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
10 oz. spinach
2-4 eggs
salt & pepper, sriracha

Start to brown the beef over medium heat.  Once it gives up some moisture and fat, add the onion and garlic.  Meanwhile, whisk up the eggs.  Once the beef is cooked through, add in the spinach, then the eggs, and cook through.  Season with salt, pepper, and sriracha, and eat.

Notes

I was kind of expecting this to be a kind of gross protein delivery system, but it was actually pretty good!  It still probably couldn't pass off as "deconstructed meatloaf" or anything fancy, though...  As far as my own spin on the recipe, I halved most of the key ingredients but just used one egg, which semed enough for me.  I also used fresh(ish) spinach instead of frozen as the recipe recommends.  If you do the same, put in a lot!  It should look almost like a salad at first, but it wilts down nicely...  Seasoning is key too.  Actually even looked pretty good:

Beef & Mushroom Soup etc.

Here's a handy (sorry CI editing staff) soup infographic.  It's a simple formula:

1. Aromatics: onion, shallot, leek
2. Protein: beef, chicken, tofu, beans, peanut butter (!)
3. Spices
4. Liquid: various broths & stocks
5. Veggies (loosely defined): peppers, mushrooms, sweet potato
6. Garnish

 Here's the first one I wanted to try:

Recipe

1. 1 onion, chopped
2. 1/2 lb ground beef
3. 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
4. 4-6 c mushroom broth
5. 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
6. tarragon, sour cream

oil, salt & pepper

Saute the onion, then add in the meat, mushrooms, and spices.  Add in the broth and simmer 20-30 minutes.  Garnish and serve.

Notes

This is all approximate enough.  The recipe calls for 1/4 lb of ground beef, which I doubled (and could have done more, honestly).  I also reduced the liquid down to one box of broth (4 c).  They also seem to claim you just simmer the meat and mushrooms, but I browned/sauteed it a bit first to be safe.  Then I forgot the sour cream.  Typical.  Anyway, this is a very tasty, earthy soup, good for a cold winter night.  It could use a starch - not one of their categories, not sure if Shape is paleo, Atkins or what - but noodles or rice would help make it filling.

Postscript: Yeah, finished the leftovers with some egg noodles and sour cream (remembered this time).  Gives it some solid bulk...

Beef Stir Fry with Green Beans & Shiitake

Tons of recipes to work through in the Cooks Illustrated Science of Good Cooking cookbook (cook cook cook)...

Recipe

Sauce
1/2 c vegetable broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Stir Fry
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
12 oz flank steak, sliced (with grain then across)
2 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, grated
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, chopped (optional but why not)
12 oz green beans, trimmed and halved
1/4 c water
3 scallions, cut into 1 1/2" pieces, white(-ish) pieces quartered lengthwise

Rice - cooked separately

Combine the (stir fry portion) soy sauce and honey and marinate the meat for 10 minutes to an hour.

Whisk the sauce ingredients together.  Separately, combine 1 tsp oil, the garlic, and the ginger.

Drain the beef.  Heat a tsp of oil in a large skillet - get it real hot - then brown the meat, in two batches if needed.  That means let it sit for a minute NO TOUCHING, then stir occasionally for another couple minutes.  Rinse skillet when you're done.

Add a tbsp oil, then cook the mushrooms (a couple minutes, till starting to brown (and onion too if you want)).  Add the green beans and cook 3-4 minutes, then add the water and steam for 2-3 minutes (covered, if possible).  Uncover, clear some space in the center of the skillet, and add the garlic-ginger mixture, mash it into the skillet a little for about a minute, then stir it all up.  Stir in the beef (and any juices), scallions, and sauce.  After another minute or so you're ready to go.

Serve over rice.

Notes

Part of the appeal of the stir-fry concept is that you cook everything in one wok, which in theory reduces cleanup.  Well, somehow I ended up with a teetering stack of dishes to clean after this one.  The recipe calls for a lot of ingredients that you really have to prep in advance, then reserve to be added in phases.  So if you're looking for a quick, simple Asian-inspired meal, go with something simpler.  But this one is pretty good (even left over) for when you're ready to go the extra mile.

I guess the other appeal is that you get your veggies and protein all at once.  This one at least looks pretty healthy!

Lastly, the cookbook used a couple beef stir fries to illustrate the Maillard reaction - browning beef pretty good to maximize flavor.  I don't think I nailed it this time, but it didn't ruin dinner and I'll go hotter next time...

Steak alla Pizziaola

This recipe came from the folks at Lodge, makers of fine cast-iron cookware.  And lovers of good meat and veggies:

Recipe

Meat
4 strip steaks

Plant (& Fungi) I
1 onion, sliced
3 red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp capers

Plant II
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
3 sprigs thyme
a sprinkle (or a few) of red pepper flakes

salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 and your (Lodge, of course) skillet medium-high with some olive oil.  Sprinkle the steaks with salt & pepper (or Montreal seasoning), and brown about five minutes per side.  Set the steaks aside, replenish the olive oil in the skillet, and in goes the first batch of plant (and fungi).  Saute for about 7 minutes, then add the second batch, stir up, and cook a few more minutes.  Put the steaks on top and pop it in the oven for 20 minutes.

Notes

There's a ton of chopping (you want the potatoes small so they soften; at least you don't have to dice the garlic), but well worth it - chop everything in group I into a big, beautiful bowl of plant (and fungi) parts before you get started.  The small-ish steaks I used came out pretty well done, but still delicious!  Make as much as your skillet can hold (OK, so about as prescribed) because it's good left over

Paleo Steak Marinade

What's more paleo than a raw hunk of cow?  Well, there's nothing wrong with giving it a little (or a massive) jolt of flavor.  There are a bunch of pointers and formulas for marinating meat here.  I've only tried one pretty straightforward one, but it's a good one:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp salt, dissolved in 2 oz water
4 scallions, cut in half
2 big cloves of garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp honey

Mix everything up in a Ziploc bag, add in your hunk of meat.  The recipe recommends skirt steak or any other thin cut.  Make sure your steak is well-coated, and leave in the refrigerator for (at least) an hour.

What happens next is up to you!  Grilling is probably best, but since that's not an option for me, I've done it a few times in the cast-iron skillet.  The key there is to wait (and bear the smoke) for as long as you can - the outside looks well done about when the inside is perfect!  For instance, this:

...was not quite long enough :(  Those mushrooms and onions were awesome, though :)

Crockpot Orange Beef Stew

I earmarked a couple crockpot recipes to try, and this is one of a few from the same post recommending some combinations you can make in a big batch and freeze into a few different bags for convenient use later.  I didn't bother with that part and just cooked this one on its own; other ones worth trying there too...

Recipe

3 lbs beef roast (don't think it matters if it's whole or cubed)
1 sweet potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, roughly chopped (not in original recipe but why not?)
1/2 to 1 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 cup orange juice
1 cup beef or veggie broth
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp flour

Mix it all in the crockpot and cook low for 8 hours or high for 4.

Notes

At first nothing really stood out other than the sweet potatoes, which were soft and mushy, and had a nice citrus tang to them.  It's a nice hearty stew though!  But the best part was when I was scooping leftovers and all that was left in the pot were the dregs of the broth.  Leave room just to slurp spoonfuls of that stuff - tiny bits of beef, sweet potato, and scallion in a rich citrusy broth...

Cider Beef Stew

Have you ever had a six-pack of hard cider and not wanted to drink it?  No?  Me neither.  But sometimes you want to mix things up and see what else you can do with that sweet nectar.  In one of those situations/moods, I was looking for some guidance for marinating a buffalo steak in cider, and happened across a list of Woodchuck-sponsored cider recipes.  This is the first one I had a chance to try:

Recipe

1 lb stewing beef
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp allspice
2-3 tbsp oil
1 bottle cider
2 tbsp ketchup
1-2 onions
1-2 potatoes
1-2 carrots
1-2 stalks of celery
mushrooms (optional; I had 'em so in they went)

Place the flour, salt, pepper, and allspice in a plastic bag, then add the beef a few pieces at a time and shake to coat.  Brown the beef in the oil.  Add the cider and ketchup, cover and cook for 1-1 1/2 hours.  Toward the end, chop the onion, potato, carrot and celery - no need to go too fine here - then add and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Notes

After this first test, I'll definitely hit that list of cider recipes again.  I wasn't always 100% sure on the recipe - it didn't seem like enough liquid to stew the meat and then soften all the veggies.  Not everything will be submerged, but even so the potatoes steam to a nice softness while the carrot and celery add some texture.  The end result was a  bit on the sweet side - maybe just from the special summer edition though, and a dryer cider might complement the allspice better in the meat.

In any case, beef stew seems to be a pretty simple concept overall.  It's definitely something I'd improvise with the liquid base and produce I have on hand.  Cider's definitely not a bad option!

Beef Chili

We made a paleo version of this recently, but it slipped my mind to share the recipe for future reference.  And to take a picture, will add when possible...

Recipe

2 lbs ground beef (recommended 85% lean)
2 onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 in cubes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder (!)
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 15-oz cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed (optional if going paleo)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 28-oz can tomato puree
oil, salt & pepper

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven/soup pot, and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and spices.  When they're starting to brown, increase heat to medium high and add half the beef.  Cook until no more pink is left, then do the same with the other half.  Add the beans and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer - one hour covered, one hour open.

Notes

We did the paleo version with no beans, mushrooms instead.  It was delicious, but I think it was missing a little grainy, savory element from the beans.  Doing my research, I found that using chili powder (especially that much) isn't cool with some serious schools of chili thought.  But it's a solid one worth returning to.

Paleo Beef Stew

Paleo Beef Stew

INGREDIENTS:

-1 lb. stewing meat

-2 tbsp paleo cooking fat (olive oil, coconut oil or bacon fat)

-4 cups beef stock

-1 cup onion, chopped

-1 cup celery, chopped

-3 carrots, peeled and chopped

-2 bell peppers

-1 28oz. can diced tomatoes

-1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

-1/2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

-sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, combine the onions, celery, carrots and bell peppers, as well as the cooking fat.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the beef to the saucepan, followed by the tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary and thyme.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the saucepan and cook for about one hour, allowing the stew to simmer.  Stir a few times during the cooking process.

Remove the lid and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes.  If the mixture is too thick at the end of the cooking process, you can add a little bit of water or stock.

NOTES:

*THIS IS SO EASY AND HEARTY AND DELICIOUS!!

Also:

*I opted for mushrooms INSTEAD of celery--good choice

*I didn't put bell peppers in...I just wasn't feeling it...

*I don't finely chop my herbs, I like to see and really taste them

*And I probably doubled or even tripled the amount of herbs that I put in...

Meatloaf!

Tough day at work, redeemed by a solid Knicks win, a hearty carnivorous feast, and the dulcet stylings of the eponymous vocalist:

I was never a big meatloaf fan as a kid (goes for a lot of stuff on here...), but was definitely intrigued by this take on it.  (Have a look if you don't mind really gratuitous profanity.  If you do, no worries; key takeaways below.)  Why go off a recipe when you have license to combine your choice of ground meats and extras?  I'd just preface by saying that meatloaf will be a process of ongoing experimentation.  It's a dish that lends itself to whatever you feel like, have on hand, etc., even after you find formulas that work really well.

OK, to sum up the key meatloaf principles:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Start with your ground meats - I used a mix of chuck and sirloin, really wanted veal, and supposedly even pork or turkey can be solid components.
• Add more ingredients!  They recommend a cup of add-ins per pound of meat.  Most of that should be bread crumbs.  Onions are solid; I want to try other veggies like kale, jalapeno, carrot, etc.
• For chemistry reasons, I assume, add a "glug" or two of milk and a (whisked) egg or two.
• Season (maybe a couple tsps?) - salt and pepper; mustard and thyme (what I used); red/cayenne pepper; garlic and parmesan; the possibilities are not endless, but near to it...
• Get your mitts in there and mix roughly - no need to be a perfectionist.
• Instead of squeezing into a bread pan, lump it into a vague loaf shape and cook in a deep pan or dish so that it's not confined by the sides.  The goal is to get a delicious crust on as much surface area as possible.
• Cook for 60-90 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 (I actually used a meat thermometer for the first time).
• Squirt some ketchup on top, and cook another 15 minutes or so.
• Serve on toast and/or with mashed potatoes and veggies, and definitely more ketchup - no way around it, it's the perfect complement to the blob of meat.

That's a lot of steps, but it's not that complicated and turned out very well in my first try (with my signature onion, mustard, and thyme, side of zucchini).  More variations to come!

Steak Fajitas

Red meat always seems a little tricky in a humble NYC apartment.  If you're not grilling, you're probably using a second-best cooking technique, sadly.  So I was happy to find a steak recipe that actually recommends using a pan.  A little guidance on the marinade didn't hurt either.

The Recipe

1 lb flank steak or skirt steak
1 onion, sliced
2-3 bell peppers
olive oil, salt

Marinade
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Mix the marinade ingredients together, coat the steak and let sit at least an hour.  Then heat a skillet over high with oil and sear your meat for a few minutes each side.  Let it sit while you cook the vegetables.  Then slice the meat and serve with tortillas, etc.

Results

With your choice of peppers, veggies and other fajita fixin's (I liked sprinking some Manchego on mine), it makes a fun group meal.  I was a little underwhelmed by the marinade, though - the more you stuff into your tortilla, the less that flavor comes through.

No picture :(

South Dakota Beef Brisket

It is a grave oversight that we have not yet taken the time to give this family gem its due.  This recipe goes back to the early days when the courageous Johnsons first came over from Sweden and settled in America's heartland, persevering through harsh conditions, tenuous relations with the Sioux, and encroachment from the pesky Norwegians.  It was passed down to me with great solemnity.  Here it is documented for posterity.

The Recipe

One pound beef roast
One bottle of ketchup
One can of Coke
One packet of French onion soup mix

Cook in your crockpot on high for about 6 hours. 

Give thanks to Odin and eat.