Tag Archives: Stew

Chili spiced braised beef

Here is a warm and cozy family favorite recipe that’s been updated with a spicy twist. Enjoy it on a cool winter night with corn bread or rice.

Ingredients

8 to 10 dried ancho chilis (2 tbsp ground if you can’t find them)
4 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
One 4- to 5-pound chuck roast or tri-tip roast, cut into 1-inch cubes, or try short ribs for richer, but fattier version
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large onion, sliced
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoons sugar
2 bay leaves

Preparation instructions

Add the chilis and garlic to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Pour off half the cooking liquid. Using an immersion blender, puree the peppers, garlic and remaining liquid until smooth. You can skip this step if you are using ground chilis.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the meat with the salt, pepper and spices. When the oil is hot, add the meat to the Dutch oven and brown on all side. Set aside.
Add the tomato paste and onion to the pot and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, sugar, bay leaves and pepper puree to the pot and stir to combine. Return the beef to the pot and cover. Cook in the oven until the meat is fall-apart tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Remove the bay leaves. You can serve this as is as a stew, or pull it apart and serve it in tortillas as you would carnitas. Garnish with cilantro.

Moroccan Chicken Stew

moroccan-stew_1

moroccan-stew_3
Prep Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 50 min.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (thighs, drumsticks, half chicken breast)
2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp allspice
1 (796mL) can chopped tomatoes
2 ½ cups chicken stock
4 cups diced butternut squash
1 cup pitted green olives
1 cup golden raisins
1 (540 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus extra to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
Yogurt, to serve

Directions

1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Season chicken pieces. Then, brown chicken pieces on all sides, about 3 min., per side. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towel. Drain all but 1 tbsp fat from pan.

2. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 min. Add salt and spices, cook 1 min. Add diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Stir in butternut squash, green olives and raisins. Add chicken pieces back into pot and make sure they are covered by liquid. Bring stock to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, for 30-40 mins., until chicken pieces are cooked through.

3. Stir in chickpeas and cilantro. Serve with couscous, brown rice or crusty bread. Top with extra cilantro, a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of yogurt to serve.

Slow cooker Moroccan chicken stew

My french grandmother made the very best “couscous” in the world. She would work for days preparing everything, slowly steaming the semolina before rubbing it with butter between her fingers. I’m not sure she would approve of my slow cooker adaptation of her recipe! But why spent 10 hours doing something when you can get it done in 30 minutes with equally delicious results?!
Moroccan chicken stew

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut up into pieces, or two breasts, two legs, bone in
2 lamb shoulder chops
2 tblsp olive oil
1 leek, whites only, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 carrot, peeled cut into large chunks
2 turnips, peeled and cut into quarters
2 zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1 small can of chick peas
1 tblsp and 2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Brown chicken and lamb and then place in slow cooker.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the leeks, garlic, carrots and turnips. Fry for about five minutes. Add spices, continue to cook while stirring 5 minutes.
Add broth, stir, and pour contents into slow cooker.
Set slow cooker on high for 4 hours. After 2 hours, open slow cooker and add zucchini and chick peas.

Serve on a bed of cousous (I prepare it by placing it in a shallow bowl and pouring hot water over top, letting it sit then fluffing it with a fork. A dash of with “Harrissa” spice (if you can find it, otherwise chili powder would work) on top is delicious!

Quick and easy chicken marvelosa for the High Holidays

Our friend and cookbook author Norene Gilletz of Gourmania.com has contributed this recipe that is perfect for the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, or any festive meal where you need to feed a crowd. In Sept 2008, this recipe was featured on Martha Stewart Living radio when Norene was interviewed by Mario Bosquez. It’s from her book Norene’s Healthy Kitchen (Whitecap books).
chicken marvelosa
It’s easy to put together, can be assembled ahead of time and doubled should your guest list keep growing the way mine tends to!

Ingredients

2 whole chickens (3 lb/1.4 kg each), cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or a mixture of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary)
6 to 8 cloves garlic (about 2 to 3 Tbsp minced)
3/4 to 1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1/2 cup dry-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, halved or coarsely chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preparation Instructions

1. Rinse the chickens well and pat dry with paper towels. Trim the excess fat. Place the chickens in a large roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray. Season the chickens inside, outside, and under the skin with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Add the apricots, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan. (The dried apricots and sun-dried tomatoes will plump up during marinating and cooking.)
2. In a measuring cup, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Drizzle evenly over the chicken mixture; mix well so that the chicken is thoroughly coated. Pour the wine around the chicken and add the bay leaves. Cover the pan and refrigerate for several hours or for as long as 2 days.
3. When the chicken is marinated, remove from the refrigerator, uncover, and bake in a 350°F oven for 11/4 to 11/2 hours, basting often. When done, the skin will be golden and the juices will run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken mixture to a serving platter. Drizzle with some of the pan juices and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Place the remaining pan juices in a gravy bowl, skim off the fat, and serve alongside the chicken.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings. Keeps for up to 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheats well. Freezes well for up to 4 months.

Find and even healthier variation on her site, www.gourmania.com. Thanks Norene!!

It’s perfect served with Garlic Roasted Carrots.

Chicken-stew (used for chicken and dumplings)

from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN

Ingredients

1 (5-6 lb) stewing chicken or 2 (3 lb) broiler-fryer chickens
Water
4 stalks celery with leaves, cut up

Preparation instructions

In a large Dutch Oven combine one 5-6 lb stewing chicken, cut up, or two 3 lb broiler-fryer chickens, cut up, and enough water to cover (about 6 c.) Add celery, carrot, onion, salt and pepper. Cover; bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours for stewing chicken or about 1 hour for broiler-fryer chickens, or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; strain broth. Let chicken and broth cool.
When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat, discarding skin and bones. Store chicken and broth separately in tightly covered containers in the refrigerator. Lift fat from broth when chilled. (Broth and chicken may be frozen separately.)

Use in chicken and dumplings recipe.

Submitted by: Jennifer L

Chicken and dumplings

from Jennifer L.’s book, North Branch , MN

Ingredients

Stewed Chicken (from stewed chicken recipe)
1 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp snipped parsley
1 beaten egg
1/4 c. milk
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 c. flour

Preparation instructions

Prepare dumplings when stewed chicken is almost tender.

For dumplings; combine 1 c. flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt; stir in parsley. Combine egg, milk, and oil. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork only till combined. Drop dough from a tbsp directly onto chicken in bubbly broth. Return to boiling and cover tightly. Reduce heat; do not lift cover. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes. Remove dumplings and chicken to warm serving platter; keep warm. Strain broth.
To thicken broth for gravy;
In a saucepan bring 4 c. broth to boiling. Slowly stir in 1 c. cold water into the
1/2 c. flour; gradually add to broth, mixing well. Cook and stir till bubbly. Cook and stir 2 more minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Pour some sauce over chicken and dumplings’ pass remaining.

Submitted by: Jennifer L

Oven beef stew

by Mandy D.’s book, Colton, SD

Ingredients

1 1/4 lb. lean stewing beef cubes
4 med. carrots, sliced (can use baby carrots instead)
1 med. onion, sliced
3/4 c. celery, cut up
1 2/3 c. potatoes, cut in 3/4″ cubes
1 c. tomato juice
1/3 c. water
1 T. sugar
1 2/3 T. Minute Tapioca
Salt, to taste

Preparation instructions

Mix all of the above ingredients well and cover in a large casserole or enamel roaster. Bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours. Do not brown or do not uncover once. You’ll be tempted, but DON’T PEEK.

Submitted by: Joyce K

Mom’s merlot beef stew

by Natalie K.’s book, Valencia, CA

Ingredients

1 roped beef roast (eye of round)
1 lg brown onion
1 bag of baby carrots
1 cabbage
bunch of small red potatoes*
bunch of celery
1/2 to 1 cup of Merlot
2 cartons of beef broth
2 cups of water
flour and seasoned salt
salt and pepper to taste
coriander (the magic ingredient)

*you can also make with pearled barley. Use 1 cup of barley to two cups of water and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Add to stew.

Preparation instructions

Put roast in ziplock bag with flour and seasoned salt and coriander. Shake and coat on all sides. Heat oil in pan and brown in a 1/2 stick of butter in large stockpot. Brown roast on all sides, searing it well. Add onion and sauté. Add celery. Add wine, water, 1 broth, potatoes, carrots, cut up cabbage. Let simmer 3-4 hours. Keep adding wine and 1 more broth. Keep all wet and bubbly. Remove roast. Cut rope and meat should fall apart. Spoon broth over meat and serve.

Submitted by: Natalie K