Tag Archives: stew

Spanish Braised Chickpeas with Tuna and Olives

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This simple and rustic Spanish recipe shows what a perfect match chickpeas and tuna are. Both ingredients have been eaten and enjoyed together throughout Spain for centuries. In this hearty dish they’re combined in a smoky tomato sauce made with garlic and onion, with a healthy measure of extra virgin olive oil to add depth and texture.

Robust ingredients commonly used in Spanish cooking are added, including sliced stuffed olives and red wine vinegar to heighten, but not overpower, the natural flavors of the other ingredients. The pairing of tuna and chickpeas isn’t only flavorsome, it also makes a very filling and nourishing meal that’s rich in both protein and fiber.

Serve this braise with crusty bread on the side to mop up every last bit of the luscious sauce, but you could also serve it with rice instead. Another accompaniment is crispy, golden pan-fried sliced potatoes, which is kind of like another classic Spanish recipe, Patatas Bravas. You could also use this mixture to stuff a baked potato, as a tasty empanada filling, or even served as a pasta sauce.

A rustic and flavorful Spanish dish of chickpeas cooked in a smoky tomato sauce, with canned tuna, and stuffed olives provided two hefty portions. Easily doubled for more diners. Our initial apprehension of too little tuna, was unfounded. We kept the ingredients the same as the original recipe and it was a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Variations: Instead of canned chickpeas use white beans, or add some chorizo (cooked with the onion) in place of canned tuna. Serve with rice or potatoes instead of crusty bread.

Spanish Braised Chickpeas with Tuna and Olives

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 red onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 14 oz. canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp. Spanish smoked paprika (or use 1 tsp. regular paprika)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 14 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 6 o.z can tuna, drained and broken into chunks
  • 10 pimento-stuffed olives, sliced into thin rounds
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper. INCREASE the heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Add the chickpeas, stir to combine, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Stir in the tuna, olives, parsley and reserved tablespoon of oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Original receipe by Trudy for Mediterrasian

Eintopf: Braised Short Ribs with Fennel, Squash and Sweet Potato

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It’s a German thing. Although, after reading the ingredients, it seems to be a mash-up of Italian, Asian and German. Typically this traditional German stew includes bratwurst and sauerkraut, but most notably is how it’s cooked. Eintopf translates to “one pot”—a magic word to most home chefs.

This particular recipe, made with bone-in short ribs, is braised until the meat melts off the bone. Fennel — fresh bulb and dried seeds — stars in the braise, while the fronds are sliced for garnishing. Every bite of this stew bursts with flavor, and, as is the case with so many one-pot meals, this dish will only improve with time as all the ingredients sit and mingle.

Using Japanese white sweet potatoes was a new one on us, and we were surprised to see them at our local supermarket. However, they were on the small side so we bought, and used, two.

Now, we made one major alteration. And that is after you drain out the vegetable solids from the pot DO NOT discard the flavorful veggies, blasphemy! Use an immersion blender on the solids and add them to the liquid broth after you discard the surface oil. This not only enhances the flavor profile, but also gives the stew some heft instead of a brothy base.

And you just might about faint when you go to buy the short ribs, the cost had us shell-shocked, and may be prohibitive for some. So go ahead and use chuck roast in its place if necessary.

Eintopf: Braised Short Ribs with Fennel, Squash and Sweet Potato

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 lbs. meaty, bone-in short ribs, cut into single-bone portions
  • Salt
  • 1 Tbsp. neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped (about 2¼ cups), top with fronds separated from bulb and thinly sliced
  • 6 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
  • ½ tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 white sweet potato, such as Japanese sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, or use an orange sweet potato (2 loose cups)
  • ½ small butternut squash (about 1 lb. 3 oz.), seeds removed, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 14½-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and grated
  • 4 cups torn or cut fresh greens, such as kale, mature spinach, mustard greens or dandelion greens
  • Warm crusty bread, for serving

Directions

  1. Season the short ribs with a sprinkle of salt on all sides. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, brown the tops and sides of short ribs, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and repeat the browning process with the remaining ribs.
  2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pot. Add the chopped fennel bulb, (reserve the top and fronds for garnish), shallots and garlic to the pot, season with salt, and toss to coat in the pan drippings. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until softened, 3 minutes.
  3. Add the fennel seeds and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and break apart the whole pieces with a wooden spoon or other cooking utensil. Cook until the tomato juices are thickened, about 6 minutes.
  4. Return the browned short ribs, bone side up, to the pot along with any drippings from the plate. Pour in the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer. Cover and transfer pot to the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, but not falling off the bone, about 2 to 2½ hours.
  5. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Transfer the cooked short ribs to a plate. Using a colander or sieve set over a bowl, drain out the vegetable solids from the pot and discard (or not, see note above about using an immersion blender), reserving the liquid broth. Skim off and discard as much oil as you can from the surface of the liquid using a spoon or a ladle. (You should have about 3 to 4 cups of broth.)
  6. Return the broth to the pot, add the potato and squash, and pour in the coconut milk. Season to taste with salt and the 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the ginger and return the short ribs to the pot, nestling the pieces between the vegetables so that the meat is mostly submerged in the liquid. Return the pot to the oven and braise uncovered until the potato and squash are tender, the meat is falling off the bone, and the liquid is slightly reduced, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
  7. On the stovetop but off heat, stir in the greens: The heat from the stew should gently wilt the leaves. Top with the thinly sliced fennel top and fronds. Serve hot in bowls with warm crusty bread for dipping.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Yewande Komolafe for NYTimes Cooking

Hungarian Pepper Stew

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In lecsó—the Hungarian version of ratatouille or shakshuka—paprika is the star and not merely a seasoning. The end result is a tangle of tender peppers, hunks of sausage, juicy tomatoes, and lightly caramelized onions all bathed in a sauce that builds itself—rich, piquant and vibrantly red.

To emulate robustly smoky and savory Hungarian sausage, use two grocery store staples: bacon for rich smokiness and kielbasa for texture and spice. Sweet and subtly hot, Hungarian wax peppers are the traditional go-to, though hard to find in the U.S. In their place, an easier-to-source blend of yellow bell peppers and mildly spicy banana, cubanelle or Anaheim peppers are used.

Paprika’s earthy-sweet notes complement both the peppers and sausage, while giving the stew an especially luscious consistency. To round out the meal, serve with crusty bread, but it also is delicious spooned over rice, mashed potatoes or nokedli, Spätzle-like Hungarian dumplings.

TIP: Don’t add the tomatoes until the end of cooking. Their freshness and bright acidity balance the richness of the stew.

In the end, it seemed a bit “watery” to us, and given that a lot of the vegetables release moisture, the amount of water at 1 1/2 cups is too much and could be scaled back to 3/4 cup. But the overall flavors were delicious! We served ours with cooked spaetzle, but you could also serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Hungarian Pepper Stew

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 8 oz. kielbasa or other smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half-moons
  • 1 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 2 oz. bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  •   Kosher salt
  • 2 medium yellow bell peppers (about 1 lb. total), stemmed, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 4 banana peppers or 3 cubanelle or Anaheim peppers (about 1 lb. total), stemmed, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tsp. sweet paprika, divided
  • ¾ tsp. hot paprika or ¾ tsp. sweet paprika plus ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-­high, combine the sausage and oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate; set aside.
  2. Reduce to medium, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add both types of peppers, the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the sweet paprika, the hot paprika and ½ cup water. Scrape up any browned bits, then cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the peppers begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
  5. Stir in 1½ cups water, cover partially, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are fully softened, 12 to 15 minutes.
  6. Stir in the tomatoes, sausage and remaining 1 tablespoon sweet paprika. Cook, partially covered, until the tomatoes release their juices but have not broken down, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe adapted by Courtney Hill for Milk Street

Youvetsi: Greek Lamb Stew with Orzo

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Youvetsi is a popular and comforting Greek stew made with tender bits of lamb or beef and cooked with small noodles such as orzo. Red meat is the more typical choice, however you may also make it with chicken.

For this easy, modern riff from The Mediterranean Dish, they instruct to use a large, heavy ceramic braising dish with a lid. In it, the tender pieces of lamb (or beef) and orzo will cook together in an aromatic tomato sauce with garlic, oregano, and other comforting Greek flavors.

Keep in mind, this is not a quick weeknight meal. This Greek lamb stew is best enjoyed straight from the pan, when the orzo is perfectly cooked. However, any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. And once you taste it, you’ll hope to have leftovers to reheat during the week. The recipe can easily be cut in half if you are so inclined.

Youvetsi: Greek Lamb Stew with Orzo

  • Servings: 6-8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. lamb shoulder (boneless, or lamb leg, trimmed of fat and cut into small 1-inch chunks)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 large onions, finely chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cup dry red wine (and a glass for yourself 😉
  • 2 tsp. dry oregano
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2, 28 oz. cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Feta cheese for garnish, optional

Directions

  1. Pat the lamb dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
  2. In a large, ceramic braising pan or heavy pan with a lid, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the lamb and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, tossing regularly, until browned. Transfer the lamb to a large plate for now.
  3. In the same pan, add the onions and garlic. Season with kosher salt. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
  4. Return the lamb to the pan. Add the red wine, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg and bay leaf. Cook until the wine has reduced by at least ½, then add 1 cup of water and the tomatoes. Break the tomatoes up using a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the lamb is cooked through.
  5. Stir in the orzo and cover the pan. Let cook for another 20 minutes or until the orzo has cooked through and most of the moister has been absorbed. Move off the heat and let sit another 5-10 minutes so that the orzo absorbs more moisture.
  6. Garnish with parsley and crumbled feta, if you like, before serving.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe for MediterraneanDish.com

Portugal’s Simple Seafood Stew (Cataplana)

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Simply delicious! It just so happened, that we started making our vacation plans to visit Portugal the same day we made this dish. The power of suggestion…

Cataplana is both the name of the dish and the pot that it is cooked in. There are two types of cataplana: either seafood packed with both fish and seafood, or a pork and clam version, which this one is. It uses abundant fresh seafood, smoky cured meat, and vibrant paprika in a rich, ruddy broth. In lieu of a traditional copper cataplana pot, we cooked ours in a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid to mimic the steamy cooking environment.

The strips of fresh fennel and red bell pepper, enliven the dish with a crisp‑tenderness that contrasts with the juicy chew of the sausage and the meaty clams. Since I don’t eat clams and The Hubs does, we substituted a bit more shrimp and fewer clams, but kept the ratios the same.

To accompany the stew and help mop up all of those luscious juices, we made some tasty toasted garlic baguette slices topped with grated parmesan and a hint of smoked paprika—the perfect companion! We made it again a few weeks later for a small party we hosted…

Portugal's Simple Seafood Stew (Cataplana)

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 12 oz. extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and cut in half crosswise
  • ¾ tsp. table salt, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 oz. linguica sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ tsp. smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced thin
  • 1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin lengthwise
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-wide strips
  • 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped coarse
  • 1 8-oz. bottle clam juice
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 3 lbs. littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Lemon wedges

Directions

  1. Combine shrimp and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl; refrigerate until needed. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add linguica and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and fat is slightly rendered, about 4 minutes.
  2. Stir in garlic, paprika, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  3. Add onion, fennel, bell pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomatoes, clam juice, and wine. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
  5. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to boil. Stir in clams; cover and cook until clams have opened, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
  6. Off heat, stir in shrimp. Cover and let stand off heat until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  7. Discard any unopened clams. Stir in parsley; season with salt to taste; transfer to serving bowl if desired; and serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Steve Dunn for Cook’s Illustrated

Spanish Beef, Red Pepper and Paprika Stew

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In Milk Street’s Fast and Slow Instant Pot cookbook, they explain Chilindrón, a hearty stew from Aragon in northeastern Spain, gets savory, meaty flavor from jamón serrano (dry-cured Spanish ham) balanced by subtly sweet tomato and red bell peppers; while paprika adds earthy flavor as well as a rich, brick-red color. Chicken, lamb or game sometimes are used, but here the succulence of a beef chuck roast is preferred.

In place of jamón serrano, the recipe uses easier-to-find Italian prosciutto, which has a similar texture and salty, nutty flavor. Pancetta, a fattier cut, works in a pinch, though it lacks some complexity. We served ours with garlicky mashed potatoes, but you could also pair with roasted potatoes or warm, crusty bread.

We used sweet smoked paprika (pimentón dulce). Spanish pimentón can be spicy, sweet, or smoky, but it’s almost always better than the regular grocery store paprika which is usually machine-dried and lacks the smoky, sweet depth of pimentón. It is essential to Spanish cooking, flavoring such national dishes as chorizo and paella. Whereas paprika from the U.S. usually comes from red bell peppers, Spanish pimentón comes from a wide variety of local peppers with differing levels of sweetness and spice.

Don’t use bacon in place of the prosciutto or pancetta. Its sweetness and intense smokiness will overpower the other ingredients. Similarly, don’t use deli ham, which is wet-cured and typically has an overly assertive artificial smoke flavor.

Spanish Beef, Red Pepper and Paprika Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 10 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1 large shallot, halved and thickly sliced
  • 1 plum tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
  • ½ cup jarred roasted red peppers, patted dry and finely chopped
  • 4 oz. prosciutto or pancetta, chopped
  • 4 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
  • 3 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Directions

  1. On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the garlic, shallot, tomato, roasted peppers and prosciutto. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is very soft and the tomatoes have broken down, about 5 minutes.
  2. Stir in 3 teaspoons of rosemary and the paprika. Add the beef and stir to combine, then distribute in an even layer.
  3. Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 35 minutes.
  4. When pressure cooking is complete, let the pressure reduce naturally for 15 minutes, then quick-release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
  5. Drain the contents of the pot in a sieve over a large bowl. Pour the liquid in a fat separator, keeping the juices and discarding the fat. Put the meat mixture back into the pot.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 6 tablespoons of the cooking liquid until smooth, then stir the mixture into the pot with the meat along with the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary.
  7. Select Less/Low Sauté. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. Press Cancel to turn off the pot. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Julia Rackow for Milk Street

Spanish Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Sherry

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The city of Jerez de la Frontera—commonly shortened to Jerez— is in a corner of the Andalusia region in southern Spain. It is home to sherry, the unique fortified wine that is produced in an area known as the Sherry Triangle. We were lucky enough to visit there a few years ago and experience a sherry tasting.

This beef stew got its origins in the “triangle.” It features tender, succulent pieces of beef, silky, supple mushrooms and a braising liquid rich with both sherry wine and sherry vinegar. The stew is familiar and comforting, yet deliciously different thanks to the wine’s tangy, nutty notes and the aged woodsiness and mellow acidity of the vinegar.

Milk Street adapted the recipe, adding a turnip along with the carrots and cinnamon to complement the wine. They say for this recipe simply seek a fino or manzanilla sherry—both are dry, bright and light, and therefore excellent counterpoints for the richness of the beef and mushrooms.

The sherry vinegar? If you can spare the expense, opt for gran reserva which is aged for at least 10 years and has a smooth, complex flavor, balanced acidity and mahogany hue. But, if that’s not an option, reserva (which we used) or any aged sherry vinegar, though less nuanced than gran reserva, will work perfectly well.

After one hour with the pot covered, there seemed to be too much liquid, so we left it uncovered to help some of that evaporate. After the hour and a half elapsed, we still weren’t happy with how watery it seemed so we removed the contents with a slotted spoon to a covered bowl, and reduced the liquid another 10 minutes. The beef, veggies and mushroom slices were added to the pot for the final 10 minutes.

The perfect meal on a lazy Sunday afternoon after a massive snowstorm… in fact, we both agreed, the BEST stew we’ve ever had! Confession, we were wiping our bowls clean of any residual sauce…

The original recipe claimed it would feed 4 to 6. If you served it over polenta or mashed potatoes, maybe 4 to 5? We got three portions. Next time we’ll add in another carrot and an extra turnip to make it more veggie-forward.

*NOTE: Don’t use sherry cooking wine or domestically produced “dry sherry.” To get the right complexity and balance of richness and acidity, look for fino or manzanilla sherry produced in Spain. Also, avoid sweet sherry for the obvious reasons.

Spanish Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Sherry

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1- to 1½-inch pieces
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
  • 1 small white turnip, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup fino or manzanilla sherry*
  • 1 qt. low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp. good-quality aged sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 4 z. oyster or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the beef and garlic, then cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside; reserve the fat in the pot.
  2. To the same pot, add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt; cook over medium, stirring often, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots, turnip, bay, cinnamon, paprika and nutmeg; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the sherry and bring to a simmer over medium-high, scraping up any browned bits; cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the broth, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Return the beef and garlic, along with the accumulated juices, to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover partially. Reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the beef meets just a little resistance, about 1½ hours.
  6. Stir in the mushrooms and cover completely. Reduce to low and cook, stirring once or twice, until the mushrooms are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
  7. Off heat, remove and discard the cinnamon and bay. Taste and season with salt, pepper and additional vinegar, if needed.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted by Courtney Hill for Milk Street

Barley Soup with Mushrooms and Kale

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What a powerhouse of healthy ingredients! First, there’s the barley. This versatile grain has a somewhat chewy consistency and a slightly nutty flavor that can complement many dishes. It’s also rich in many nutrients and packs some impressive health benefits, ranging from improved digestion and weight loss to lower cholesterol levels and a healthier heart.

And mushrooms are a low-calorie food that packs a nutritional punch. Loaded with many health-boosting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they’ve long been recognized as an important part of any diet. Plus, the anti-inflammatory effect of mushrooms has been shown to greatly improve the efficiency of the immune system.

Kale, one of the so-called “superfoods” is also packed with nutrition that puts it high on the list of world’s healthiest food, not to mention it is low in calories and has zero grams of fat.

All health info aside, the soup is just darn tasty too! Because our onion wasn’t very large, we also included a shallot. Instead of lining a strainer with cheesecloth, The Hubs drained the hydrating porcinis through a coffee filter, which prevents any grit seeping into the broth.

It will keep for about three days in the refrigerator, but the barley will swell and absorb liquid, so you will have to add more to the pot when you reheat. We added one cup of mushroom broth when we reheated a few days later.

Barley Soup with Mushrooms and Kale

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thick
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
  • 3/4 cup whole or pearl barley
  • 1 1/2 qts. chicken stock, or beef stock
  • A bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each thyme, parsley and a bay leaf
  • 8 oz. kale, stemmed and washed
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup, and pour on two cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
  2. Set a strainer over a bowl, and line it with cheesecloth, or better yet, a coffee filter. Lift the mushrooms from the water and squeeze over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water. Squeeze out the water and set aside. Strain the soaking water through the cheesecloth/coffee filter-lined strainer. Add water as necessary to make two cups. Set aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes.
  4. Add the sliced fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are beginning to soften, about three minutes, and add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook for about five minutes, until the mixture is juicy and fragrant.
  5. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, the barley, the mushroom soaking liquid, and the stock or water. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, stack the kale leaves in bunches and cut crosswise into slivers. Add the kale to the simmering soup, and continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes.
  7. The barley should be tender and the broth aromatic. The kale should be very tender. Remove the bouquet garni, taste and adjust salt, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from The NY Times

Spanish Chorizo, Ham and White Bean Stew

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This is a quick-and-easy version of the Spanish tapa known as Fabada Asturiana, a hearty stew of dried beans, sausage and other smoky, porky ingredients. Typically morcilla—which is blood sausage—and pork belly are main ingredients but Milk Street pared back on the meats, using only chorizo and ham, both of which lend deep flavor to the broth.

Once a simple country dish, fabada is now a venerated symbol of the Asturias region of Spain. The dish gets its name from the large beans that are traditionally used in its preparation, but here canned white beans such as cannellinis work well—and save time. No soaking beans or cooking for hours!

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Milk Street prefers the relatively large size and creamy texture of cannellinis, but they say great northern and navy beans are fine, too. A pinch (make that a large pinch) of saffron adds a very Spanish flavor and fragrance, while giving the stew an alluring golden hue. Fabada is a hot and heavy dish and for that reason is most commonly eaten during winter, or cool months.

One huge misstep for us was not using our homemade ham stock in place of chicken broth. Either one, it was super tasty, and even better the next day when the flavors had a chance to marry (and go on a honeymoon 😉 )

RULE No. 18: Don’t Let Neutral Ingredients Stand Alone.

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Spanish Chorizo, Ham and White Bean Stew (Fabada)

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 medium garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp. saffron threads
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 8 oz. Spanish chorizo, casings removed, halved and thinly sliced
  • 8 oz. ham steak, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1½ qts. ham or chicken broth, preferably homemade
  • 3 15½-z. cans white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Warmed crusty bread, to serve (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large pot over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, saffron and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is slightly softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
    IMG_4359
  2. Add the chorizo and ham, then cook, stirring, just until the chorizo begins to release its fat, about 1 minute.
    IMG_4361
  3. Stir in the broth, beans and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, for 10 to 15 minutes.
    IMG_4363
  4. Remove and discard the bay leaves, then stir in the scallions. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread.
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Tip: Don’t overcook the chorizo and ham after adding it to the sautéed onion mixture. If the pieces begin to sear or brown, they’ll be chewy and rubbery in the finished dish. Cook only until the chorizo begins to release some of its fat.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Milk Street “The New Rules” cookbook

Slavonian-Style Shepherd’s Stew with Croatian Mashed Potatoes

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This Slavonian-Style Shepherd’s Stew from the Slavonia region of Croatia, čobanac is a meat-centric stew rich with paprika and thickened in part by shredded root vegetables that break down during a long, slow simmer. Though referred to as shepherd’s stew (čoban translates as shepherd), the dish traditionally is made with not only lamb but also beef, pork and wild game. Milk Street simplified the dish using only beef; with chuck roast as the cut of choice for its meaty flavor, nice marbling and ample connective tissue that helps make a full-bodied broth.

NOTE: To achieve just the right amount of earthy flavor and an undercurrent of spicy heat, use both sweet and hot paprika. We didn’t have hot paprika, so 2 teaspoons sweet paprika plus ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper made a fine substitution. Be aware, this recipe uses a LOT of paprika, so make sure to have enough on hand from the start.

Simple dumplings are a classic—and delicious—addition to this stew, but they are not essential. If you’d like to include them, you can obtain the recipe from Milk Street online. The dough is made and added to the pot at the end of cooking. We chose to make the Croatian Mashed Potatoes instead (recipe follows).

TIP: The original recipe calls for 6 cups of water, but in the end, our broth was very thin and watery so we reduced it, uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. To avoid this, use only 4 cups water, or make and insert the dumplings which help soak up the liquid.

It is recommended not to use double-concentrated tomato paste (the type often sold in tubes) or the stew will end up tasting too tomatoey. As you cook the tomato paste and vegetable mixture, don’t worry if the paste sticks to the pot and begins to darken; this browning helps build depth of flavor.

Slavonian-Style Shepherd’s Stew

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: moderately easy
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Ingredients

  • 2½ lbs. beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
  • 2 medium parsnips, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems minced and leaves chopped, reserved separately
  • 4 Tbsp. tomato paste, divided
  • 4-6 cups water (see tip above)
  • ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sweet paprika, divided
  • 1 Tbsp. hot paprika (see note above)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 Tbsp. brown mustard
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, toss the beef with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside. In a large Dutch oven over medium, combine the oil, onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, garlic and parsley stems, then cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until it begins to brown and stick to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the ¼ cup sweet paprika, the hot paprika and bay. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the wine and 6 cups water, then bring to a simmer over medium-high, stirring often. (If not making the dumplings which help soak up some of the liquid, you may want to use only 4 cups water which will make the broth less thin.)
  3. Stir in the beef and return to a simmer. Reduce to low, cover and cook until a skewer inserted into the beef meets no resistance, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat. Tilt the pot to pool the cooking liquid to one side, then use a wide spoon to skim off and discard as much fat as possible. Remove and discard the bay.
  5. In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons tomato paste, the remaining 2 tablespoons sweet paprika and the mustard. Whisk about 1 cup of the cooking liquid into the tomato paste mixture, then stir it into the pot. Return to a simmer over medium-high, then stir in the parsley leaves and half the dill. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the remaining dill.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Rebecca Richmond for Milk Street

Croatian Mashed Potatoes

Croatian restani krumpir is a hearty, rustic dish of mashed potatoes studded with onions that are sautéed until soft and sweet, oftentimes seasoned with paprika and brightened with fresh herbs. Milk Street’s version is a one-pot recipe—the onion is caramelized, removed and set aside while the potatoes cook. Rather than boiling whole or chunked potatoes in copious water, instead they are sliced unpeeled and steamed in a covered pot with only enough water to facilitate even cooking and prevent scorching. This keeps the potatoes from absorbing lots of moisture so the finished dish tastes rich and earthy instead of thin and washed-out. This dish is a perfect the Slavonian stew.

Tip: Don’t forget to rinse the sliced potatoes before cooking. Rinsing washes off excess starch so the finished dish has a creamy consistency and isn’t dense and gluey. Also, don’t undercook the potatoes—they should almost fall apart when poked with a skewer so they can be easily mashed with a wooden spoon.

Croatian Mashed Potatoes

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise and sliced about ¼ inch thick
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4 Tbsp. (½ stick) salted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  • ¼ tsp. sweet paprika, plus more to serve
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives, divided

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and well browned, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the onion to a small bowl and set aside; reserve the pot.
  2. In a colander under cold running water, rinse the potatoes. Drain well, then add to the pot. Stir in ¾ cup water and 1 teaspoon salt, then distribute the potatoes in an even layer. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-­high. Reduce to medium and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the slices almost fall apart when poked with a skewer, 18 to 20 minutes.
  3. If there is water remaining in the pot, increase to medium-high and cook, uncovered and stirring often, until no moisture remains. (We had to cook ours another 7 minutes for the pot to become dry.)
  4. Reduce to low, add the butter and cook, stirring and mashing the potatoes with a spoon, until the butter is melted and incorporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the onion, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chives, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with additional paprika and the remaining 1 tablespoon chives.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Milk Street

Oven Lamb and Barley Stew

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Although this looks like a traditional beef stew recipe, it’s not made like one. While the beef—or lamb as in our recipe—braises in the oven, the carrots, mushrooms, and onions roast on a sheet pan alongside for a caramelized flavor. How’s that for a change?

We made this on a Sunday afternoon for a weeknight meal when we knew there wouldn’t be much time to prep dinner. But of course we had to taste-test the finished product. WOW, it was fantastic. The lamb (you could use stew beef instead) was super tender and the sauce was so silky and full of flavor.

Instead of one or the other, we used both carrots and parsnips. If you choose to include parsnips, make sure to remove the woody core before cooking them.

Oven Lamb and Barley Stew

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2–2.5 lbs. beef or lamb stew meat
  • 2 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 cup dry red wine or 50%-less-sodium beef broth
  • 1 qt. (32 oz.) beef broth
  • 1–2 Tbsp. fresh thyme or rosemary, chopped
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¾ tsp. ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup regular barley, farro, or brown rice*
  • 4 carrots or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces, or 2 cups baby carrots
  • 2 cups sliced cremini or button mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 croissants, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Cut the meat into 2″ pieces
  • Prep all ingredients ahead
  • The second batch of meat gets browned with the garlic
  • Tomato paste is added to the browned meat
  • After adding wine and broth, stir in the herbs, salt and pepper
  • Mix veggies with oil on rimmed baking sheet
  • Roast for 45 minutes, stirring once
  • Add roasted veggies and peas to meat and sauce
  • Dig in!

Directions

  1. Arrange oven racks, placing one rack at the lowest level. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a 5- to 6-qt. Dutch oven heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high. Add half the beef and bacon; cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a bowl. Add an additional 1 Tbsp. olive oil, remaining beef and bacon, and the sliced garlic to Dutch oven. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return all meat to Dutch oven. Stir in tomato paste; cook and stir 2 minutes.
  2. Carefully add wine, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Reserve 1/2 cup of the 50%-less-sodium beef broth. Add remaining broth to meat mixture. Stir in thyme and 1/2 tsp. each salt and ground black pepper. Bring to boiling. Cover and place pot on the lower oven rack; braise 1 hour.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together reserved 1/2 cup broth and the flour; stir into beef mixture. Stir in barley. Bake, covered, 35 minutes more or until barley is tender and stew is thickened.
  4. Meanwhile, in a shallow baking pan combine carrots, mushrooms, onion, remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and remaining 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper; toss to coat. Place on a separate oven rack; roast, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring once.
  5. Stir vegetables and peas into stew; let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
  6. OPTIONAL: For croutons: Line a shallow baking pan with foil. In a large bowl combine croissant chunks, melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley; toss to mix. Spread croissants evenly in prepared pan. Bake 5 minutes or until toasted; let cool. Serve croutons over stew.

*If you sub in brown rice, increase baking time in Step 3 to 45 minutes.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe found in Better Homes & Gardens October 2020 issue

Something to Stew About

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You know we love all-things-Spanish, so it went without saying that when we saw this Spanish Shrimp and Chickpea Stew recipe from Milk Street, we were immediately intrigued. It seems at Palacio Carvajal Girón, in the Extremadura region of Spain, Milk Street staff tasted a delicious shellfish and chickpea stew that was rich and redolent with locally produced smoked paprika. Requiring both a ham- and langoustine-infused broth and made with dried chickpeas, the dish was a time- and labor-intensive preparation.

Their much-simplified version captures the essence of the stew in just a fraction of the time. It uses canned chickpeas for convenience, and the broth gets flavor from bottled clam juice and the viscous liquid from the chickpeas. A combination of Spanish smoked paprika and standard sweet paprika gives the stew deep color and earthy complexity without overwhelming the shrimp.

A side salad and glass of wine completed the feast.

Don’t forget to reserve ½ cup of the liquid before draining the can of chickpeas. The liquid adds both body and flavor to the broth. When peeling the shrimp, don’t remove the tails because they also lend flavor to the broth. But do remove the tails when halving the seared shrimp so that the pieces are easier to eat in the finished stew. In all honesty, you can skip this step if you don’t mind serving the shrimp whole with tails intact.

We served ours over steamed jasmine rice made with homemade shellfish stock.

Spanish Shrimp and Chickpea Stew

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet paprika Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 Lb. extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
  • 2 Tbsp. salted butter
  • 1 Medium leek, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, rinsed and dried
  • 4 Medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 15½ Oz. can chickpeas, ½ cup liquid reserved, drained
  • 8 Oz. bottle clam juice
  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together both paprikas and ¾ teaspoon pepper; measure 2 tablespoons into a small bowl and set aside. Add the shrimp to the paprika mixture in the medium bowl and toss to coat; set aside.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp in an even layer; reserve the bowl. Cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, return the shrimp to the bowl. In the same pot over medium, melt the butter.
  4. Add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic and the reserved paprika mixture, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the chickpeas, the reserved chickpea liquid and the clam juice. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
  7. Meanwhile, remove the tails from the shrimp and cut each in half crosswise. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shrimp along with accumulated juices.
  8. Cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
  9. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley and drizzled with additional oil.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Adapted from a recipe by Milk Street