Otto Say’s
Pasta sanza vino e
come il cuore sanza amore
Pasta without wine is
like a heart without love
Beef Stew with Winter
Vegetables
Serves 8
Ingredients
1.1 kg lean boneless stewing beef, (chuck recommended)
15 ml olive oil
45 ml butter
175 ml finely chopped onions
60 ml all-purpose flour
5 ml salt
2 ml freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
5 ml crushed thyme
5 ml crushed marjoram
1 L lightly salted beef stock, or vegetable stock
8 small potatoes
8 onions
8 medium carrots
1/4medium rutabaga,
(yellow turnip)
3 medium parsnips
500 gr can tomatoes (or fresh cooked) 1/2 cup liquid
250 ml frozen peas (optional)
125 ml chopped fresh parsley
Method
1. Cut beef into 4 cm cubes; pat dry with paper towel. In
saucepan, heat oil and butter; brown meat one layer at a time. (For a rich
tasty stew, it's important to brown meat well at this stage.)
2. When all meat is browned, set aside. Melt more butter in
saucepan if necessary and onion until tender and golden. Stir in flour;
continue cooking over medium heat until flour is golden.
3. Return meat to saucepan; add seasonings (pepper, bay
leaf, thyme and marjoram) and stock. Using wooden spoon, scrape up all browned
bits from bottom of pan. Simmer, partially covered, until beef is tender, about
1-1/2 hours. Either cool or refrigerate overnight to allow flavours to mellow,
or proceed with vegetables.
4. Peel potatoes, onions, carrots, rutabaga and parsnips.
Leave potatoes whole; cut a shallow X in root end of each onion. Cut carrots,
rutabaga and parsnips into finger-length sticks.
5. Chop tomatoes coarsely.
5. Add vegetables to stew and cook, covered, at moderate
simmer until all ingredients are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add peas;
simmer 5 more minutes. Taste, adding more seasoning or liquid if necessary.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Smile and Be Sweet
“The best way to win a friend is to listen and
Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto
