Monday, March 28, 2011


We've had a few chilly days in Montreal this past week, I guess to be expected even though spring is officially here. The weather seems to once again call out for some warm comfort food, and beef stew is just the dish. True to my Italian origins, I added some fresh tomato and red wine to my stew recipe. Homemade beef stock also helped to further enhance the flavours of the beef and all those yummy root vegetables. Serves two with just enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. After all stew is even better the next day.
Suggestion: for thicker sauce add an extra spoon of flour.

 Ingredients:
11/2 pound roast (round) cut into bite- size pieces
1 onion coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut into wedges 
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small rutabaga cubed (about 1 1/2 cup)
2 carrots cut in 1" pieces
2 small parsnips cut into 1" pieces
2 Yukon gold potatoes cut into bite size pieces

Method:
Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven pot, heat the butter and oil on medium high.Brown the meat a few pieces at a time. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside. In the same pot, brown the onions, add the garlic. Add more oil if necessary. Stir in the flour, allow it to cook for a minute. Gradually whisk in the beef stock to prevent lumps from forming.  Return the meat to the pot. Pour in the red wine. Toss in the tomatoes, bay leaf, and fresh thyme. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the the vegetable pieces and continue to simmer until the meat is tender, about 25 minutes or until the meat is tender. The stew can also be finished  with the cover on in a 350º oven for about 25 minutes or until the meat is tender.

10 comments:

  1. This is ideal for the "spring-that-will-come" and fresher than most stews. Yes, it's still the time of year to be comforted by this in the eves.

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  2. Looks yummy and comforting...yesterday was cold here and I made soup. I can't wait for the warmth to stay.

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  3. In Italy it's called "Spezzatino con patate", lovely recipe Anna! A hug...

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  4. I can't believe Montreal is still cold.

    I just published my old-fashioned beef stew yesterday, I did mine on the stove with a simmering time of 3 hours and tasted amazing.

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  5. Comfort Food in a bowl.... delicious Stew:)

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  6. I just made stew a few days ago as well. Not quite ready to give it up yet, still cool enough weatherwise. Your photo makes me hungry for dinner and I haven't had breakfast yet:)

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  7. This looks super comforting and tasty!

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  8. What a lovely recipe and gorgeous photo!

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  9. Jay, thanks for taking the time to comment on the recipe post. The stew did turn out delicious. It was the ideal comfort dish proved for the cold spell we've been experiencing.

    Claudia, I decided to make the sauce less thick than usual. The dish was still satisfying with all the hearty root vegetables I used in the stew. Can't wait for warmer weather!

    A busy nest, that makes two of us....looking forward to warmer spring weather.

    Hi Victor, I guess we are all turning to comfort food recipes with this cold weather. Glad to hear your stew turned out tasty. You can't hurry the cooking process with this type of dish.

    Thanks Malli for your visit and lovely comment.

    Ava, I think we are all of the same mind set with this cold weather....aiming for our favourite comfort food recipes to warm us up.

    Angie, this is exactly the type of meal your body calls out for in this chilly weather.

    Alisha, given the beautiful work on your site, I really appreciate your comment. I'm not very technical and sometimes feel it's sheer luck with the photos.

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