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As the weather continues to get cooler,
nothing sounds better on a dark autumn night that a warm and
hearty stew. This month we’re featuring classic stews
of Europe, Daube A La Provencale, a hearty French stew made
with white wine and Pernod; a variation of Carbonnade of Beef
with Prunes, this recipe originates from Belgium and traditionally
is made with dark beer. We’ve made some modifications
that transform it into a delicious gluten-free stew with subtle
differences from the original. And finally, Braised Beef with
Parmesan Macaroni, a beef stew with a secret ingredient, chocolate!
A few tips about making a great stew:
- The flavor of the meat is greatly
enhanced by marinating overnight prior to cooking.
- The typical long cooking time serves
to tenderize tough cuts of meat and allows the flavors of
the ingredients to blend.
- The best cuts of beef for stew are chuck
or stewing beef. These cuts have a lot of fat that breaks
down, helps to tenderize the meat and adds flavor.
- Most stews are better when made a day
or two before you intend to serve them.
- Although stews require a long cooking
time, they are easy to make because once the ingredients
are combined, the rest is up to the stew. It is a great
meal to start in the afternoon and enjoy after a busy day.
- Stews are great served with gluten-free
cornbread or over white rice.
- Make sure to use a heavy pot or pan so
that the stew will not burn through the long cooking time.
Try these popular and classic stews, they
make a great week-end meal.
Daube
A’ La Provencale
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 quart dry white wine
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup Pernod
- Juice of 1 orange
- 2 Tablespoons herbes de Provence
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 4 juniper berries
- 5-6 cloves garlic, to make 3 Tablespoons
minced
- 4 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into
1-1/2" cubes
- 3 ounces mushrooms
- 6 ounces pancetta, chopped
- 2 carrots, cut into 1/2" slices
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2" slices
- 2 onions, chopped
- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup pitted black olives, sliced
- 2 cups gf beef stock
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped for garnish
In a large saucepan combine wine, olive
oil, Pernod, orange juice, herbes de Provence, pepper, juniper
berries and garlic. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
Let cool to room temperature. When cool, pour over beef to
marinate. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, drain
beef, reserving marinade.
Add all ingredients, except parsley, to
a large heavy stock pot, stirring gently to blend. Bring mixture
to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for about
4 hours. The liquid should reduce and thicken into a nice
sauce and the beef will be very tender. Adjust seasonings
and serve with chopped parsley.
Beef
Stew with Apricots
This is a variation on the classic, ’Carbonnade
of Beef with Prunes’. We substituted wine for beer and
apricots for prunes. The apricots are splendid in this dish!
Ingredients:
- 5 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 cup gf beef stock
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, cut in half
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 sprigs parsley and 3 Tablespoons chopped
parsley
- 4 cloves
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup gf beef broth
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large, oven proof pot, heat 3 Tablespoons
oil over medium-high heat and when hot, add beef and brown
all over. Do not overcrowd beef, brown in batches. Remove
beef to plate, reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil
and then onions. Saute onions until caramelized, stirring
frequently, about 7 minutes. Remove onions and increase heat
to high. Add 1 cup broth, scraping bottom of pan to loosen
browned bits. Let boil for 5 minutes. Add beef and onions
back to pot with apricots, thyme, salt and pepper. Wrap the
bay leaves, parsley sprigs and cloves in a piece of cheese
cloth and tie with kitchen string and place in the middle
the stew. Pour wine and 1 cup broth over all and bring to
a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour
and 45 minutes. Remove cheese cloth and adjust seasonings
to taste. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.
Braised
Beef with Parmesan Macaroni
This is a lovely stew with a surprise ingredient,
chocolate! The dark chocolate lends a richness to the sauce
that is spectacular. We used Tinkyada’s Elbow Macaroni
for the pasta with wonderful results.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds beef chuck
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 15 peppercorns
- 1 whole clove
- 1 Tablespoon gin
- Bouquet garni: 1 parsley sprig, 1 thyme
sprig, 1 bay leaf tied with butcher string or in cheesecloth
- 1 bottle red wine
- 2 Tablespoons peanut oil
- 3/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 ounce gf unsweetened or bittersweet
chocolate, chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 pound gf elbow macaroni
- 2 cups cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine beef, onion, carrot, garlic, peppercorns,
clove, gin, bouquet garni and wine in a large bowl. Cover
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Separate the meat, the vegetables and the
marinade into bowls. Heat a large skillet to medium high and
add peanut oil. When hot, add meat and brown on all sides.
Transfer meat to a dutch oven. Add vegetables to skillet and
saute until soft; remove to dutch oven. Add reserved marinade
to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour marinade into dutch
oven. If necessary, add water so that liquid just covers meat.
Cover and bake for 3 hours or until meat is very tender. Transfer
the meat to a plate. Strain the sauce through a sieve, pushing
the vegetables through with the back of a spoon. Pour the
strained sauce back into the pan and boil until reduced by
a third. Reduce heat to low and add butter and chocolate.
Season with salt and pepper. Cook macaroni per package instructions.
Drain and return macaroni to pot. Stir in cream cheeses, salt
and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Preheat a broiler. Transfer
the macaroni to a casserole dish and place under the broiler
until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
Add meat to sauce and heat through. Serve
meat and macaroni on same plate side by side.
- Glutenfreeda
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