Beef Stout Stew

I was lucky enough to celebrate my first St. Patrick’s day in about five years this past weekend in Philadelphia. Although I have loved traveling to exotic locations like Norfolk, VA and watching or playing in women’s lacrosse games these past five years while all my “normal” friends got to don green and go cray, I had high expectations for this weekend’s festivities.   Thank you, City of Philadelphia for not disappointing.

I’m pretty sure every meal I consumed from Friday – Sunday night had some alcoholic component. Whether it was the Irish coffee blondies I snacked on, or the actual Irish coffee I poured myself Saturday morning, I felt obligated to pay homage to my Irish heritage by including booze in my food and beverage intake at all times.  Wary of completely forgoing food for drink in my cultural pursuit, I eyed up St. Patrick’s Day recipes all week and saw dozens for stout stew.

As luck would have it, my college friend, B, came to town and left me with a 4-pack of some powerful stout, Absolut Truth. I decided on a Lamb Stout Stew recipe from Martha Stewart, and ended up making Beef Stout stew because Whole Foods was out of lamb. I also did not follow Martha’s recipe exactly, sorry BBG, but used it as a guide.

This stew was great because it all happened in one pot/one bowl. The only chopping I had to do was trimming some of the fat off the meat and slicing the garlic. I bought a pack of sliced baby bellas to throw in at the end, but that never happened. I think carrots would be good in this as well. I added the potatoes at the beginning, sort of afraid they would get mushy after 2 hrs in the oven, but they were fine!

I really would like to try this with lamb. I would also really like it if someone would buy me a 5 qt dutch oven (in some shade of bright blue, preferably) so I can use it for recipes like this.  The stew could be served over egg noodles, or just with hunks of brown bread. We ended up putting it over Colcannon, because T&C had made a huge pot of it for a party they hosted Saturday, and there was a lot left. Plain mash would be delightful as well!

Sláinte!

Beef Stout Stew  (at least 5 hearty portions)

2 lbs stew beef

¼ cup flour

1 can tomato paste

1 bag frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 lb new potatoes (the cute little golden ones)

1 bag green peas (I like the petit pois), thawed

1 bottle stout beer

2 cups beef broth

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tbs dried thyme

2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 350. Trim excess fat from beef and season beef with salt and pepper. Toss beef with flour, and then mix in entire can of tomato paste.  Put beef mixture in Dutch oven and pour bottle of stout and beef broth over top.  Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves, potatoes and onions, and stir. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, stirring occasionally.  Once a boil has been reached, cover, and bake in oven for at least 2 hours, or until fork tender. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or with hunks of brown bread.

Miami & Magadalenas

My recent holiday in Miami has ignited my gastronomic fervor. I love to cook, and do so as often as possible, but my diet week throughout the week is relatively simply--- cereal, omelettes  salads, yogurt, cheese, wine, dried fruit, and pizza.  Often on vacation I grow wary of dining out, my mother cited a craving for “simple food” as we browsed airport dining options pre-return flight, but on this trip, I experienced so many different flavors, it really didn’t grow old.

For starters, headed into this trip, I did not know that there was a significant Orthodox Jewish population in Miami Beach.  I was pleased to discover this, as I am a well-document lover of “Jew Food”, and have been known to make an effort to celebrate Jewish holidays during the year through ethnic meals.  Our best lunch of the trip was at a kosher hot dog shop, House of Dog.  M, my brother, ordered a burger topped with guac and chili. My mother and I both went with dogs, mais oui, mine topped with fried onions, peppers, kraut and buffalo sauce, aka the “Dracula” dog, and hers was smothered in tradition Reuben toppings---pastrami, kraut, and Russian dressing.   We picked up a ton of chocolate as gifts for family and friends at a kosher chocolate shop, Schokolade, and also enjoyed breakfast one morning at a kosher café. I know it’s not that bad for you, but a bagel with lox and cream cheese is one of my favorite “treat” breakfasts.

Dulce de Leche pastry & a Cortadito

CVS Baked Good Treasure

Nutty Magdalenas

Beach Snack of choice for the week

The cuisine of the week, however, was Latin (duh).  If I could start/finish each and every meal with a Cortadito, Cuban coffee with a bit of milk and sugar, I would be set. I swear-- my productivity would increase ten-fold. I tried to replicate it at La Colombe Monday morning by ordering a double espresso with a little bit of steamed milk, but it just wasn’t the same. There was also an abundance of delicious pastry.

I loved all the puff pastries stuffed with dulce de leche and topped with guava jelly, but my favorite did not come from behind the glass of some cute little Cuban bakery. It came from the shelves of CVS.


These little muffins, with 100% butter as the package proudly states, were delicious. I brought back 4 packages---two as gifts and two for my roommate and myself. They reminded me of Magdalenas, denser and cakier, but very similar. I give myself a get out of jail free car during vacation in terms of eating so I snacked on these all week.  I did the same thing traveling in Spain, purchasing bag after bag of Magdalenas from the nearest food store.

A couple weeks ago, I bookmarked a recipe David Lebovitz posted for nutty Magdalenas and after trying so many pastries, especially the muffins, I was more than inspired to give baking some sort of cakey-delicious muffin a go. These were fantastic!

Next time, I will definitely cut the sugar, perhaps by a whole 1/3 cup. They weren’t too sweet, but the amount of sugar just wasn’t really necessary. I would also consider using light olive oil to cut the calories a little, but use whatever you want. After indulging in buttery baked goods all week, the olive oil flavor really stood out. Of course, these guys also pack a load of nuttiness. I used ground almonds in the flour mixture, as I normally don’t have hazelnuts of hand.  If you really like almond cake, a splash of almond extract may be good in these as well, or maybe some cinnamon if you’re into that. I would make the recipe as is first, though, and then go from there, because you will definitely want to make them more than once. I cooked them about 5 minutes longer than the listed time, and they could have benefited from a few extra minutes… don’t forget to rotate your pans!

Brunch Eggs

Anyone that has been to a breakfast or brunch hosted by my sister, C, my mother, or I, has probably had brunch eggs. As a family, we have had them every year on Christmas morning since I can remember Christmas, and they make special appearances throughout the year as well.  The first morning I ever made them on my own was the day of my college graduation, a day my friends and I needed all the moral support we could to face the reality of that day. They are always a hit, only a total weirdo wouldn’t appreciate such a delightful combination of bacon, egg, and cheese, easy to make, and can be put together the night before.

Brunch eggs can also be made vegetarian.  Omit the bacon and add in some steamed spinach and sautéed mushroom, chopped roasted red pepper, or just keep it cheese and egg. Soy sausage crumble would also make a tasty substitute if you’re into that (not for everyone, I happen to enjoy it from time to time).  For a real meat lover, you could use regular sausage in addition to the bacon.  If you are into cheese, we used nice extra sharp Irish cheddar this past Christmas and it was quite the treat.

I made brunch eggs this weekend for a birthday brunch of sorts hosted for my friend, K. I did not prepare the casserole the night before, as I only volunteered to host the brunch the night before, but was able to pull it off with a questionable Saturday morning BAC after a Friday evening of birthday celebrating.   An afternoon of drinking proceeded the brunch, so it was important we had a meal in our bellies before we continued the festivities.

I rounded out the brunch spread with some bagels and cream cheese, fruit salad, and blueberry muffins.  The past couple years on Christmas morning I have managed to disappoint my family with homemade blueberry muffins, rather than the Duncan Heinz box mix we all know and love, so I kept it simple Saturday with the box mix; nothing like canned blueberries and streusel topping.  I also set up a Bloody Mary bar, and few bottles of champers were popped and mixed with some OJ. We’re all adults, here.



Part of the spread!



Such a fabulous weekend and I’m so glad I could share this joy of bacon, egg, and cheese with some wonderful friends, new and old. Happy Birthday, K!



Eggs before they went into the oven



Brunch Eggs

1 lb of bacon

Package of xtra sharp shredded cheddar cheese

Package of swiss cheese

Cheap, squishy white sandwich bread

6 eggs

3 cups milk

Salt and pepper

Chop the bacon into thin slices, about a ¼ inch thick. In a large pan, fry the bacon until crisp. Be careful, because it seems to go nowhere at first, but then all of the sudden it’ll be burnt if you don’t watch it and you’ll need to start over and it will smell awful. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the pan and put it on a plate with a paper towel.

Beat the eggs lightly, and add the milk and whisk until combined. Add ¼ tsp of salt and cracked black pepper.

Trim the crust from the sandwich bread. How many slices you use depends on how big the slices are, but you need enough to make a single layer on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Line the bottom of a greased, 9x13 baking dish with the bread. Layer the Swiss cheese over the bread, then the shredded cheddar cheese, and finally the bacon. Pour the egg and milk over everything. Bake for 45 min to an hour in a 350^o oven. When the casserole is puffed up, browned, and bubbling around the edges, it’s done.

You know how I know it's done? It's puffy.

Red Wine Braised Lamb Chops

For many years, I did not like lamb. My earliest memory of lamb is in the form of a burger patty. I would see the uncooked patties ready to be taken out to the grill and think, “yes, cheeseburgers!” only to be sorely disappointed moments later when my mother would inform that we were having lamb for dinner. Yuck. I also have distinct memories of bright green mint jelly and lamb chops. Double yuck.

I don’t know exactly when I started to like lamb.  I think I gave it a second chance at a Sunday dinner when sliced lamb tenderloin was an option and I’ve like it ever since. Or perhaps it was a few hesitant bites of lamb korma that got me hooked. I don’t know. Regardless, at some point, I decided I liked lamb. In fact, I love lamb.

I’ve been craving lamb the past couple weeks, and after a bout of strep throat; I was craving solid food in general. I’m in the last week of my current job, so as you can imagine, as things wind down, I have an unusual amount of free time during the work day, and plenty of time to peruse and select a lamb recipe to test. I settled on a recipe for lamb shoulder chops braised in Zinfandel because I liked that it could be done in one pan, and I also liked that it included dried fruit.

This recipe was super easy and lamb shoulder chops are a relative bargain at the butcher counter-- I think I only paid $6.99/lb at Whole Foods. I used a California red, a “jammy” one like the recipe called for, and I substituted Turkish apricots for California because Whole Foods didn’t have any California. I actually prefer California apricots to Turkish, and usually have a couple bags around, but I think I had just finished them up and hadn’t been to Trader Joe’s yet to replenish my supply.  I ate lots of Turkish apricots when I went to Turkey (duh), but I rarely buy them aux états-Unis, and stick to California Slab Style.

Pretty lamb chops ready for a good sear!

Wine & fruit have been added, ready to simmer!

Finished product over Israeli Cous Cous Pilaf with toasted almonds.

When C, my sister, sample the sauce before serving, she though it was a little sweet, so I added a few tbs. of Apple Cider Vinegar. If I had used California style apricots, there likely would have been less sweetness.  The sauce was delicious, rich and flavorful, and multiple layers were present--- herbs (thyme and coriander) fruit, and wine. I made a simple Israeli Cous Cous pilaf with toasted blanched almonds and served the chops and the sauce over it. S commented regular Cous Cous would soak up the sauce really well, so I would try that next time.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/zinfandel-braised-lamb-chops-with-dried-fruit

I also made a side, a warm, roasted vegetable salad that definitely needs work. My idea was to roast a bunch of root vegetables; parsnips, sweet potatoes, and beets, then toss them when they came out of the oven with baby spinach and vinaigrette. I attempt to be diligent in my effort to get my five-a-day, and this certainly delivered a heavy punch of veg, but it fell flat in texture and overall form. I think I over-roasted the veg, seeing as they turned to mush as I tossed the salad. I was picturing a form of warm Panzanella, minus the bread, but it became sort of a root veg mash/sort of salad. It was tasty, and we all got our vegetables, but I need to rethink the execution. I will write up a recipe and instructions when I get it right! 

 Pretty veg before I massacred them under high heat in the oven.

 Roasted vegetable "salad"

The lamb took about an hour, start to finish, and 35 minutes of that it was just simmering on the stove. It made for a special weeknight meal, I wanted to hear all about C, T, and S’s recent jaunt to Paris and London, but it could also be a main for more elegant entertaining. I also love any dish that requires opening a bottle of wine, as that guarantees the chef gets to enjoy a glass or two while cooking!

 

The most esteemed dinner guest!