Slice Of Life
By Eileen Goltz
The holidays tend to bring out the “I am now a crazy cook” in all of us. We search for holiday-specific recipes, using apples and honey and pomegranates, for example, and whip up desserts, desserts, and more desserts–and did I forget to mention fish? When to serve a full meal–before or after services? How much? Who has allergies, is vegan, or is vegetarian but will eat ethically raised (and twice as expensive) chicken?
Since I’m blessed (or cursed, according to my family who has to listen to me discussing recipes with myself) with an overabundance of ideas about exactly what I should prepare, I decided that this year I’m going to direct my crazy to the column and share the stews and soups I’m going to “crock-pot” so I can then obsess about how to incorporate chocolate into an appetizer. Note: all of these recipes are fleishig; so sorry, vegetarians.
Burgundy Beef Stew-Ish (Beef Bourguignonne)
Serves 4—6
Ingredients:
1 leek
4 stalks parsley
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
3 lb. beef stew meat (you can cut up a roast in relatively large bite-sized pieces)
1 large onion, finely diced
3 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bottle good red Burgundy
6 oz. pastrami, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
â…“ cup flour
2 cups water
1 lb. small white mushrooms, stems trimmed and caps peeled
Directions:
Put leek, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, beef, onions, carrots, and garlic in a large bowl and add wine. Mix to combine, making sure everything is coated, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12—24 hours.
Remove the beef from marinade (save the marinade), and pat the beef dry with paper towels. Fry the pastrami in a large pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add the pieces to the pan and sear on all sides (5—7 minutes).
Sprinkle the flour over the beef and cook for 2—3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the marinade and water. Mix to combine and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan.
At this point you can pour the whole mixture into a crock-pot, put on low, and cover and cook for 4—6 hours. Or you can reduce the mixture to a simmer in the pan, cover, and cook 3—4 hours.
Add mushrooms and cook for 30 minutes more. Before serving, remove the bay leaf, leek, parsley, and thyme.
Beef And Beer Stew
Ingredients:
2½ lb. beef, cut into 2½-inch cubes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup flour
4 Tbsp. pareve margarine or olive oil
4 slices beef-fry, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
3 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups dark ale or beer
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs tarragon
1 bay leaf
3 potatoes, cut into quarters
Directions:
In a bowl, combine the beef with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Mix to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons margarine or oil in a fry pan and, working in batches, sear the outside of the beef pieces; when seared, place them aside on a platter and then cook the beef-fry strips until crispy.
Add the remaining oil or margarine, garlic, and the onions; cook until golden, about 25—30 minutes.
Add 1 cup of beer and cook, scraping bottom of pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the beef, 1 cup beer, broth, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme, parsley, tarragon, bay leaf, and salt and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add the potatoes and cook, covered, until beef is tender, approximately 1½—2 hours.
Modified from epicurean.com
Root Vegetable Stew (Tzimmis)
Serves 6
Ingredients:
3—4 Tbsp. olive oil
3 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes
salt and pepper, to taste
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4 cups beef broth
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes
4 oz. pitted prunes, halved
4 oz. dried apricots
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. honey
Directions:
Heat the oil in a skillet and sear the beef in batches. Place the cooked meat in a crock-pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and onions, stirring to combine. Add the broth, potatoes, prunes, apricots, and carrots. Mix to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4, uncovered, until tender, about 1 hour. Just before serving stir in the honey.
Chicken Stew
Serves 4—6
Ingredients:
1 cup sliced celery
¾ cup diced carrot
½ cup chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups bottled marinara sauce
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
¾ cup uncooked macaroni noodles (you can use your own favorite)
½ tsp. black pepper
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch pieces
Directions:
In an oven-proof Dutch oven, sauté the celery, carrot, and onion in the oil. Stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn, cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then add the broth, marinara, garbanzo beans, noodles, and pepper.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and add the chicken. Mix to combine and cook 4—5 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Submitted by Alex Cohen, Chicago, IL; modified
Sweet Pepper
Chicken Stew
Serves 6—8
Ingredients:
1½ tsp. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup finely chopped carrots
â…“ cup canned chopped green chilies, drained
¾ tsp. oregano
½ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
15.5-oz. can Great Northern beans, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion and chicken for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, carrot, chilies, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, beans, and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Modified from about.com
© Eileen Goltz
Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher foods writer. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She lectures on various food-related topics across the U.S. and Canada and writes columns for the CJN in Chicago, kosherscoop.com, and the OU Shabbat Shalom website, www.ou.org. She also wrote the Perfectly Pareve Cookbook (Feldheim).
