Accounting for Taste

A perfect cool weather dish, this stellar, hearty meal is great for double-date night, Sunday supper, Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah, just to name a few options. It could even work for a weeknight if made ahead of time, and then reheated for dinner.

A homey one-pot stew, it’s a mix of tender beef and white beans swimming in a velvety sauce, and is much brighter than its short ingredient list might indicate. That’s all thanks to the technique of slowly building layered flavor with beef fond, aromatics, spices, and acidic tomatoes.

Make sure to brown the beef in at least two batches, the pieces need room around them in order to brown properly, not steam. In the final hour after the beans go in, remove the lid entirely for the last 30 minutes, to thicken the stew nicely.

There are several serving suggestions, such as, couscous (we used whole wheat pearl), a loaf of crusty bread, sautéed greens, or a crisp side salad (our side dish), all of which work well to offset the stew’s richness. As far as garnishes go, try harissa or sambol oelek—although we didn’t feel any was necessary.

Beef and White Bean Stew with Cumin

Servings: 4-6
Time: 3 hr, 45 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, excess fat trimmed, cut into 2″ pieces
1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
2 Tbsp. (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. Hungarian hot paprika or ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
2 15-oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
1 cup tomato purée
Steamed couscous and finely chopped parsley (for serving)

Directions

Pat 3 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast dry with paper towels, excess fat trimmed, cut into 2″ pieces, and season generously with kosher salt. Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil between batches if pot looks dry, cook beef, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium and add 1 large onion, finely chopped, and 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped, to pot. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and golden, 6–8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoon Hungarian hot paprika or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt; season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 3 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste.
Return beef along with any accumulated juices to pot. Pour in 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, partially cover pot, and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until beef is tender and liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 hours.
Uncover pot and stir in two 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, and 1 cup tomato purée. Bring stew back to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until beef is very tender and stew is thick, 60 minutes. Remove the lid entirely for the final 30 minutes to thicken the stew. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper if needed.
Divide steamed couscous among shallow bowls and ladle stew over. Top with finely chopped parsley.

Do ahead: Stew can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Leah Koenig for Bon Appétit

Our long-time friend Merry Sue was going to be staying overnight with us so we wanted to prepare an elegant, yet simple meal. After assuring that she did indeed like lamb, we went to one of our tried and true braising wizards, Molly Stevens, and found this Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic & Vermouth (Souris aux Aulx) recipe.

Given that I was gallery-sitting all afternoon the day she arrived, and wouldn’t be home until the evening, The Hubs smartly braised the shanks the day before (see tip below). The entrée was paired with two other tried-and-true side dishes: Dorie Greenspan’s Celery Root Purée and a most recent Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Shallots.

As there were only three of us and the recipe fed six, we halved only the number of shanks but kept all of the other ingredients at full throttle. In fact, if you are making six shanks, you may want to double everything else for the extra sauce. The recipe enhances the flavor of lamb. It is truly delicious and so simple to make; elegant enough for a dinner party or special occasion, yet it’s quick to prep, and is almost effortless as a casual supper.

TIP: The dish can be made up to three days ahead. After braising, transfer the shanks to a baking dish. Strain and season the sauce as directed in the recipe. Pour a little strained sauce over the shanks to moisten them. Refrigerate the shanks and the sauce separately, both tightly covered. Before serving, reheat the chilled sauce, pour it over the shanks in the baking dish, cover the dish with foil, and warm in a 325ºF oven for about 30 min. Finish with the herbs and black pepper, and serve.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic and Vermouth

Servings: 6
Time: 3 hrs
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

6 lamb shanks (3/4 to 1 lb. each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white vermouth, preferably Vya or Noilly Pratt
2 bay leaves
2 heads garlic, separated into cloves (unpeeled)
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice; more as needed
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, preferably a mix of mint and parsley (chervil and chives are also good)

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 325°F. If necessary, trim any excess fat from the lamb shanks, but don’t trim away the thin membrane that holds the meat to the bone (we mistakenly did). Season the shanks all over with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or other heavy braising pot large enough to accommodate the lamb shanks in a snug single layer. When the oil is shimmering, add half the shanks and brown them on all sides, 12 to 15 min. total. Set the browned shanks on a platter. Repeat with the remaining shanks. When all the shanks are browned, pour off and discard the fat from the pan.
Set the pan over medium-high heat and add the vermouth. As it boils, stir with a wooden spoon to dissolve any drippings. Return the shanks to the pan, arranging them as best you can so they fit snugly. Tuck the bay leaves in between the shanks and scatter the garlic over them. Cover and braise in the oven, turning the shanks every 45 min., until fork-tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Transfer the shanks to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Tilt the braising pot to pool the juices at one end and skim off and discard any surface fat. Pour what remains in the pot into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Discard the bay leaves. With a rubber spatula, scrape over and press down on the garlic cloves so the pulp goes through but not the skins; be sure to scrape the pulp clinging to the bottom of the strainer into the sauce. Whisk in the lemon juice. Taste and add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if needed. To serve, pour the sauce over the shanks and shower them with the chopped herbs and a little freshly ground pepper.