Whether it's beef bourguignon or a classic Irish stew, there's nothing more satisfying on a cool winter evening than a bowl — or two — of mouth-watering stew.
Stews are a great way to maximize flavour for relatively low cost. All you need are inexpensive cuts of meat (and even that's optional as you can see in our vegetarian recipe), a flavourful braising liquid like wine, beer or stock and some seasonal vegetables to cook low and slow, sometimes for several hours.
No stew is complete without a nice piece of fresh — and preferably warm — bread, served with a glass of your favourite wine or beer. Bring on the cold weather!
Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew)
3 large onions
1 kg beef, stewing shoulder cut
300 g carrot, chopped
300 g small button mushrooms
Fresh herbs – basil, rosemary and thyme tied with string
3-4 cups red wine
1-2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. flour
Water
Cut beef into large five-centimetre chunks and season with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven or large frying pan on medium-high. Add the olive oil and brown the beef in small batches (adding too much will lead to steamed meat). Set the beef aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the same pot, cooking until translucent. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon until the flour starts to turn slightly golden.
Deglaze the pan with about half the red wine. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about five minutes. Return the beef to the pan along with carrots, herbs and mushrooms. Add the remaining wine and enough water to cover the meat and vegetables.
Cook for two to three hours, stirring occasionally; remove surface scum as required. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Irish lamb stew
1/2 c. flour
3 lbs. boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
3 tbsp. vegetable oil (use a neutral-flavoured oil like canola or grapeseed)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 c. Irish stout (or your favourite dark ale)
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut in half
1 lb. carrots, cut into half-inch diagonal pieces
3 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 1/4 c. water
In a large bowl, season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge lamb in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large frying pan. Add the lamb in batches, browning on all sides before transferring to a plate.
Deglaze the pan with about 1/4 c. of the stout, scraping up browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beer has evaporated and onion begins to soften. Return lamb to pot, along with the thyme, rest of the beer and 1 3/4 c. water. Cover and then simmer until the lamb is tender, about 90 minutes.
Add potatoes, carrots and 1/2 c. water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, until vegetables are tender and stew has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add parsley just before serving.
Vegetarian stew
1/2 c. dried mushrooms (porcini, shitake or a mixture)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. carrots, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
1/2 yam, cut into similar size as potatoes
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c. pearl barley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 c. vegetable stock
Hot water
Add hot water to cover dried mushrooms and set aside.
Heat oil on medium-high in a Dutch oven or large frying pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, potatoes, yam and garlic.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables brown.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving liquid, and slice. Add the fresh and reconstituted dry mushrooms to the Dutch oven and cook for five minutes.
Add the barley and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains are shiny and coated. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable broth and mushroom soaking liquid to the stew. Bring to boil and then turn down the heat until it's barely simmering. Cover and cook 30 minutes (remove cover for the last 15 minutes if the consistency is too runny).
Chicken stew with dumplings
5 c. chicken stock
4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 bunch small carrot, peeled (about six)
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 tbsp. butter
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 c. mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. frozen peas
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Dumplings
2 c. sifted flour
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
3/4 c. milk
Brown the chicken in the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven. Add the stock and bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, celery, leek and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, for about eight minutes or until softened.
Add flour, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for one minute.
Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and bring to boil. Add the carrots and potatoes to pot and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the onions and simmer, covered, for five minutes.
Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often until thickened enough to coat back of spoon (about five minutes).
Stir in the cream and peas.
Dumplings
In a bowl, whisk the flour, parsley, baking powder and salt.
Using pastry blender or fingers, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs.
Using fork, stir in milk until sticky dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls into simmering stew.
Caribbean curry stew
1 lb. pork stewing meat (shoulder)
1/2 lb. lamb stewing meat (shoulder)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. dry lentils
1 habanero pepper, diced (wear gloves)
2-3 dried bay leaves
4 whole cloves
1-2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
The easiest recipe — thank you slow cooker — is saved for last.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and turn it on. Cook for at least six hours on low. Serve over sweet potatoes or yam. It's that easy.
