Stew recipes

Stewing means to slowly simmer food in a liquid until tender. The less expensive cuts of meat are suitable for stewing.

1. Irish stew

Ingredients:

1 kg stewing lamb/mutton (2 lb)
15 ml oil (1 tablespoon)
2 large onions, sliced
3-4 large carrots, cleaned and sliced
4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper to taste
few sprigs of parsley

Method:

Cut the meat into neat pieces and quickly fry in the oil.
Put layers of meat, onion, carrot and potato into a large casserole,
seasoning each layer with salt and pepper and finishing with a layer of potato.
Pour in enough stock or water to give a depth of 2.5 cm (1 inch).
Cover and bake at 160°C (325°F) for 2 hours or until meat is nearly tender.
Remove the lid and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes,
or until the top layer of potato is nicely browned.
Decorate with parsley.

2. Italian veal stew

Ingredients:

750 g boneless shin or pie veal (1 1/2 pounds)
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 sticks celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
15 ml oil (1 tablespoon)
30 ml maizena (2 tablespoons cornflour)
150 ml dry white wine (1/2 cup)optional
275 ml stock (1 cup) or
275 ml water and 1 chicken stock cube
1 tin tomatoes
1 bay leaf
15 ml chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut meat into pieces and fry in the oil until browned.
Remove to a large ovenproof casserole dish.
Fry vegetables for 5 minutes.
Mix maizena with a little stock or water and set aside.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the vegetables.
Bring almost to boil, and add the maizena mixture.
Stir until the sauce has thickened.
Pour over the meat, and cover with a lid.
Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 2 hours 30 minutes.

3. Swiss steak stew

Ingredients:

700 g (24 oz) topside of beef
40 g (1.5 oz) flour
salt and pepper to taste
15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil
2 onions, sliced
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
225 g (8 oz) can tomatoes
10 ml (2 teaspoons) tomato puree
2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) Worcester sauce
120 ml (1/2 cup) water

Method:

Cut the steak into 8 slices.
Mix together flour and seasonings.
Toss meat in flour mixture, pressing it in and using all.
Heat the oil and quickly fry the steak on both sides.
Transfer the meat to an ovenproof casserole.
Fry onion and celery until golden brown.
Add tomatoes, tomato puree, sauce and water.
Mix through and pour over the steak.
Cover and bake at 160°C (325°F) for 2 hours, 30 minutes.

4. Boeuf bourguignonne stew

Ingredients:

750 g (1 1/2 lb.) chuck steak, cubed
170 g (6 oz) streaky bacon, chopped
275 ml (1/2 pint) water
1 beef stock cube
150 ml (1/4 pint) red wine
15 ml (1 tablespoon) Maizena (cornstarch)
1 bay leaf
sprig parsley
2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) dried mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste
170 g (6 oz) button mushrooms
12 baby onions, peeled

Method:

Heat bacon slowly, and then fry until crisp.
Remove bacon to a large ovenproof casserole dish.
Quickly brown the steak in the bacon fat.
Add to the bacon in the casserole.
Pour off most of the fat, and heat the stock and wine.
Mix the Maizena with a little water.
Add to the pan and stir until thickened.
Add bayleaf, parsley, herbs and seasoning.
Pour sauce over the meat and cover.
Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 1 1/2 hours.
Add onions and mushrooms.
Bake another hour, or until meat is tender.

5. South-African 'waterblommetjie bredie' stew

(Stew made with the flowers of a water plant
growing naturally in the dams of the Western Cape)
Latin name: Aponogeton distachyos

 

Ingredients:

1 kg (2 lbs) mutton chops (top of leg)
15 ml (1 tablespoon) oil
300 ml (1/2 pint) water
500 g (1 lb) fresh 'waterblommetjies'
2 onions, chopped
4 potatoes, chopped
1 mutton stock cube
15 ml lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
15 ml Brono, Bisto or cornstarch.

Method:

Cut mutton into suitable pieces.
Fry quickly on both sides in heated oil.
Add water, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours.
Rinse 'waterblommetjies' well.
Soak in salt solution for 30 minutes.
Check meat for tenderness.
Drain 'waterblommetjies' and add to the meat.
Add onions, potatoes, mutton stock and lemon juice.
Simmer for 30 minutes or until all ingredients are soft.
Adjust seasoning. Mix Brono with a little water.
Add to the pot and stir until thickened.

If 'waterblommetjies' are unobtainable fresh, use tins,
but add them at the end of the cooking time.
You could also try 500 g (1 lb) of tomatoes, or carrots,
or green beans, instead of the 'waterblommetjies.'

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Posted in: Recipes by dim sum on December 14, 2010 @ 2:26 pm

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Tags: beef stew, how to make stew, lamb stew