Thursday, October 29, 2009

Beef Stew

I've made beef stew many times before. I'm always looking to make my recipes better. I do so by adding a little of this and a little of that. Changing a few things up from time to time. I found a beef stew recipe from Aida. It turned out great. It was different because the recipe called for cayenne pepper which gave the whole dish little kick. Here's the recipe:

Beef Stew in Biscuit Bowls

Ingredients


For the stew:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

5 medium carrots (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch pieces

5 celery ribs (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces

6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 medium bay leaf

3/4 cup dry red wine

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups beef broth

1/3 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves



For the biscuits:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/3 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops


Directions

In a small bowl, mix the flour, cayenne, and the salt and pepper until evenly combined. Pat the meat dry, then sprinkle with the flour mixture and toss to coat.


Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven (or oven-ready saucepan) over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add half of the meat and sear until brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are brown, about 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.


Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf and stir to coat. Stir in the wine and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the potatoes and stir to coat.


Add the meat and any accumulated juices, and the beef broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the stew with a lid and transfer to oven. Cook until the beef is knife tender, about 1 1/2 hours.


When beef is almost ready, make the biscuits. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, thyme, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Stir in the cream until a loose dough forms. Lightly flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto the surface, and knead briefly until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pat into a 1-inch thick circle and cut into 8 wedges.


Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the stew from the oven. Uncover the stew, and stir in the parsley. Top the stew with the biscuits and brush with a little cream. Return the pot to the oven bake until the tops are crispy and golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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