Guinness Beef Stew

Not sure why it's taken me so long to put this one up. I've been making it for years and it's a staple in the Saul household. Beef stews are made a million different ways - I much prefer Guinness over red wine (sorry Julia) and have to have the potatoes IN the stew...contrary to how my husband's family eats it back in Ireland: steamed potatoes peeled and buttered on the side.

2 lbs beef chuck/stew meat, cut into big bite sized pieces (they'll shrink)
1/2 cup flour, divided
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 tbsp butter, divided
3 carrots chopped
3 celery ribs chopped
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
5 sprigs of time (either tied with twine and fished out later or trimmed)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1.5 cans of Guinness (drink the other half - bonus!)
~3/4 of a 14oz can of crushed tomato or tomato sauce
~4 medium sized yukon gold potatoes, chopped to bite size
Salt and pepper

1. Divide the beef into two batches (make sure that the beef is dry and not juicy, dry it with a few paper towels if needed). Generously salt and pepper the beef and dredge half in flour.

2. Heat a large dutch oven to medium high heat and add enough olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to coat the pan. Add half of the beef and cook until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot, add a little more oil and cook the other half of the beef. Set aside.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan if needed. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and thyme and cook until softened, about 10 mins. Add the garlic and a bit of salt and pepper.

4. Push the veggies aside and add the tomato paste. Cook for a couple of minutes and mix into the veggies.

5. Add the Guinness and scrape up all brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the tomato and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and simmer covered for at least two hours or until the beef is very tender. Stir occasionally to check the temp and avoid stew caking on the bottom of the pot. The stew will start out runny and thicken as you cook.

Three Bean Curry

I don't know how many curry recipes I have on this website but I think it's a lot. I keep finding better ones. Plus, I like making a big pot of curry on a Sunday to pop on the stove later in the week when I don't feel like cooking. Pluuus, Jack loooooves curry and I can get at least three lunches out of it for him before he asks for something else. Homerun. I didn't think this was going to be anything special but we agreed that this one, adapted from Food52, was one of the best yet. You could sub the beans for chicken but I actually like it with the beans. You can also use whatever beans you want. The original recipe called for five types, I don't go that crazy. Note - it also calls for one triangle of Laughing Cow cheese - totally random but I welcome the chance to buy a box of these since I lived off of them in Senegal and it brings back memories. You could use cream cheese instead.

Onion/garlic/ginger paste: chop 1/2 an onion and equal parts garlic and ginger so that together they equal the amount of onion you have. Pulse in a processor until you have a paste.

Can of kidney beans (or you could use the same beans for all or different kinds than I have here)
Can of garbanzos
Can of black eyed peas - drain and rinse all beans
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 chili pepper, minced (jalapeno or serrano if you like it spicy, otherwise omit)
1 tsp cumin
1 cup tomatoes, chopped (or diced canned)
1 triangle of Laughing Cow or 1 tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup coconut milk (optional)
Couple handfuls of baby spinach (optional, I like to add some greens/veggies to this to balance it out)

1. Heat the butter and oil over medium high in a large saucepan. Add the onion/garlic/ginger paste (and chili pepper if you're using one) and saute for about five minutes or until softened or golden brown.

2. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cheese and cook until melted.

3. Add spices through cinnamon and 1/4 cup of water. Let cook a few minutes. Add sugar and beans and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes or so. Add the spinach if using and cook until totally wilted. Add the coconut milk and heat through. Serve over rice.

Chili Verde with Sausage and Butternut Squash

I'm always looking for ways to use the other half of that enormous butternut squash that's still in my fridge. Well, you know me and all things chili...throw in the kitchen sink. But this is a special one -chili verde. And it has three key ingredients that I absolutely love: tomatillos, sausage, and hominy. Let me be clear about something though, I had never cooked with hominy before I made this and I actually didn't even know what it was and always wondered. I thought it was a bean (??). But it's not. It's corn. It's like eating boiled corn nuts. I will never turn back.

Tomatillo Base
1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked and rinsed
5 jalapenos - deveined and seeded to your own tolerance of hotness
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 white onion, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
olive oil
salt
1/2 cup cilantro

Chili
1 yellow onion roughly chopped
1 lb sausage meat out of the casing
1 1/2 tsp oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz can of hominy, liquid included
1/2 cup cilantro
2 cups diced butternut squash

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic and onion on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Broil until softened and slightly charred, turning once. Let cool to room temp. Put the cooled veggies in a blender temp and puree with the cilantro.

2. As the broiled veggies cool, heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking it up as you go. Spoon out most of the excess fat and add the garlic.

3. Add the blended tomatillo mixture, hominy (and liquid), cilantro, and squash. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender.

Pork Shoulder Ragu

This is my grand finale for winter time, one pot masterpieces. We still have a few chilly days left so squeeze this one in while you can. We're big on pasta and sauce in our family. It's Paddy's favorite. But sometimes I get a little tired of the same ole sauce. I came across this one on Food52 and boy is it good. I've made it twice in the last two months - the first time in a dutch oven, the second time in a slow-cooker because we just had to get. out. of. the. house. If you use a slow cooker - I highly recommend still browning the meat on the stove top and transferring 24it after. Serve this with a wide noodle like papardelle or tagliatelle.

2 - 2.5lb boneless pork shoulder (I've made this with bone-in too. If you use boneless, tie up loose pieces)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small pat of butter
1 28oz + 1 14oz can of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano the best for this)
1 cup red wine
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
5 springs of fresh oregano (use fresh here - it makes a difference)
*Tie the herbs together with kitchen twine so that you can scoop out later.

1. Preheat oven to 325. Liberally salt and pepper the pork. Heat olive oil and butter to dutch oven over medium high and add the pork roast to the pan. Brown on all sides.

2. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. If you're using a slow cooker - at this point transfer everything to the cooker along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 5hrs or low for 8hrs. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and put in the oven.

3. Braise for 3-4 hours or until falling off the bone. When done, remove pork from the pot and shred on large plate or pan. Skim off any oil from the top of the sauce. Add the pork to the sauce and mix well. Serve with pasta and top with parm.

Indian Chicken Curry

My old friend Dane first got me started with Indian cooking. In my first few years in Boston, she'd have a bunch of us from work over to her house for 'real Indian food.' Dane's from Bangalore and would whip up curries for us from her mother's and grandmother's recipes. Heaven. And knowing I like to cook, Dane recruited me as sous-chef for these large gatherings, giving me the important job of chopping onions. I mean, LOTS of onions. I'd ask her how many and she'd throw a few bags in front of me with a knife saying she'd let me know when I could stop. But oh how delicious the curry would be. This recipe from Bon Appetit is very reminiscent of dinners at Dane's. If you've ever made anything Indian - you'll have most of the spices in your cabinet. If you haven't, don't be afraid, this is an easy one pot meal that just has a lot of ingredients.

Heads up though - this is a Sunday dinner. It takes 2 hours (only 15 minutes of actual work time) so make sure you have a little time! Also - this recipe originally called for cream, which I substituted for plain yogurt.

3 tbsp canola oil
4ish chicken legs (drumsticks with thighs - as many as will fit snugly together in your pot)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, grated or minced
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp tumeric
1 1/2 tsp coriander
3/4 tsp cayenne
4/4 tsp cardamom
8 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup crushed tomato (~half of a 14 oz can)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, 1/4 inch cubes
Cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down, cooking until golden brown (8-10 mins). Transfer to plate (don't flip in pan).

2. Add onion, garlic and ginger and stir until onion is soft. Add tomato paste and the rest of the spices through the cardamom, stirring often until paste begins to darken.

3. Add the chicken back to the pot, skin side up, the broth, and crushed tomato. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

4. Add potatoes and cook another 30-45 minutes, partially covered. When potatoes are fork tender and chicken is falling off the bone - it's done. The sauce should have thickened as well.

5. Remove the skin and bones from chicken add the yogurt. Stir and simmer for another 10 mins or so. Serve over basmati rice and a bunch of cilantro.

Chicken Cassoulet with Fennel and Sausage

A one pot wonder. We don't have many soup and stew days left, folks, so get it while you can. We fired up the grill last night which only means one thing - summer's on its way and soup will soon be a thing of the past. The great thing about this cassoulet from Food and Wine is that it's full of flavor with so little hassle. One of our recent favorites...

Four chicken legs, skin on
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored, 1/2 inch dice
1 carrot, 1/2 in dice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp rosemary, minced
2 tsp thyme, minced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup panko
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place chicken on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 mins. Remove from oven but keep the oven on.

2. In a dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the sausage and cook until nearly cooked through. Add the onion, fennel, carrot and cook until softened.

3. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for about 3 mins. Stir in the stock and beans and bring to a boil.

4. Nestle the chicken legs in the stew and sprinkle the panko and cheese over the top. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 25 mins until bubbling and the top is crisp.

Rajmah - Sara's Indian Chili

So I guess I'm on a bit of a bean kick here. We were over at our friends Sara and Kiran's house not too long ago celebrating Sara's (a different Sara) birthday. Kiran's family is Indian so we were pretty sure that we'd be treated to some Indian deliciousness. Ironically, the Saras made this, not Kiran. Paddy and I were blown away at the flavor...I was even more surprised when Sara sent me the recipe and I realized how EASY it is!!

1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green chili, chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (double if you don't use green chili)
8 oz can of tomato sauce

1 cup chicken broth
3 cups boiled red kidney beans or 30 oz can of red kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep saucepan. Add ginger, garlic, onion, green chili and let sizzle for one minute. 

2. Add the tomato sauce, salt and remaining spices and cook for an additional five minutes, stirring frequently. 

3. Add the kidney beans with water or canned red kidney beans (undrained) plus 1 cup of water, and tomatoes. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and let cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro.

4. Serve over rice or with naan. A dollop of plain yogurt on top is heavenly.

Chicken and Butternut Tagine

Reebs was here for a visit this weekend! Among a million other things that we amazingly squeezed into two short days, we popped by Rustica for a chat with Farouk, Amar, and Amed - our pals from the cafe across the street from our old apt on Beacon St. We talked to Farouk for a nice, long while - he was full of smiles and positivity as always. He talked a bit about his last visit home, to Algiers, and I asked him about what he likes to eat when he's there. He talked about tagine...It happened to be the first cold day of autumn here and nothing sounded better than a long, slow cooked North African stew. I've made this many times before, and actually had another recipe on the blog but this is WAY better. It's one to try in the fall weather - and your house will smell glorious. This is adapted from a Food and Wine recipe. It's a 2 hour cook, but the prep and initial cooking time will only take about 15 minutes!

1 lb chicken thighs, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cloves
Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
1 onion, diced
1/2 lb butternut squash - save yourself and get the pre-cut stuff from the store. They should be 1/2 cubes.
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
Salt - you'll need lots for this
Handful of raisins
Handful of green Picholine olives, optional
1/2 cup cilantro (optional)
Plain couscous

1. Combine the chicken and spices through the saffron in a bowl. Marinate for an hour or so if you have the time.

2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Add the chicken and let cook until browned on both sides.

3. Move chicken aside in the pot and add the onions, cook until softened.

4. Add the broth and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the squash and cinnamon stick.

5. Bring to a boil and then reduce temp to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add the raisins and olives about a half hour before serving so that they soften.

6. Serve in a bowl over couscous. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Tigadegenan...Mafe...West African Peanut Stew

Whatever you wanna call it, this is my all time favorite West African meal. When I went to Mali for my last semester of college, this was one of the few dishes I ate. Not because I didn't try everything, but because in West Africa - especially Mali, there are only a few meals to make. Peanuts are everywhere in Mali - fresh, crunchy, and toasted over an open fire so that you can taste the char. So peanut butter (or peanut paste as it's called there) is abundant. It's not eaten with fluff on sandwiches though, it's made into this savory sauce that's served with mutton or chicken over rice with vegetables. This recipe comes from my colleague Jennifer Kawatu who has mastered the recipe with US ingredients and tools...it's right-on.

PS - this is the chicken version, not the mutton version ;)

1/2 jar natural peanut butter - no chunks, no sugar added (this is very important)
1 small can of tomato paste
1-2 onions, finely chopped
1 hot pepper or tsp of cayenne
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt (add more to taste)
3/4 lb of chicken thighs, quartered
1 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch rounds
1/2 eggplant cut into 1/2 inch pieces
cabbage - about a quarter of a head, cut into wedges

1. Heat a few tsp of olive oil a large dutch oven over medium high heat.

2. Add the chicken and brown. Add the onions and cook until very tender.

3. Add vegetables and about 2 cups of water. Cook until veggies begin to soften.

4. While veggies cook, make a paste with the tomato paste and peanut butter. Add water until soupy consistency and easy enough to stir, keeping it thick.

5. Add the peanut/tomato paste mixture to the pot with chicken, stir well and turn temp down to medium low. Cook for about a half hour, adding a little water as needed (this should be a fairly thick but not pastey sauce). Cover and and let simmer until the oil from the peanut butter rises to the top in pools of red. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Do not stop cooking until this happens or it will taste only like peanut butter and not the sauce.)

6. Serve over white rice.

Paddy & Katie's Surprise Chili

We're getting ready for the big Pats v. Jets game tomorrow and making chili. We were inspired after several hours of back-breaking shoveling the other day. 1 1/2 feet of snow in Boston = buried cars. Only the antennas were showing. Anyway, after our hard work, we headed up to Magoun's for a few pints and had a delightful bowl of chili that included...andouille sausage. Aha! Not sure how this wasn't thought of before but it gives a thick chili a hint of gumbo, which is my other favorite meaty stew. What could be better than a combination of the two?? The following recipe was very impromptu - there are a few other unexpected ingredients (a mix of both Guinness AND wine) and it happened to turn out to be the best chili to date! I promise this will not disappoint.

1 1/2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano chili, diced
1/2 container baby bella mushrooms, large dice
1 large jalapeno, diced
1 1/2 large (28 oz) cans tomato (1 can diced, 1/2 can crushed)
1/2 small can tomato paste
1/2 lb sirloin tips, cut into 1/4 in. cubes
1/2 lb 85% lean ground beef
2 (hot dog length) links of andouille sausage
2 italian sausage links - removed from casing
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1/2 can Guinness
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 bottle Ipswich ale (for good measure - because one was open)
2 TB chili powder (or to taste)
1 TB chili flakes
1 1/2 tsp cumin
lots of salt and pepper
1 cup of corn

1. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large pot/dutch oven. Add the italian sausage and break up into small pieces as it cooks.

2. Add the sirloin and brown.

3. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Give it a good dose of salt and pepper.

4. Add the andouille and let it cook for about 5 min.

5. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside. Add all of the vegetables and garlic, except the corn. Let it saute in the juices of the meat until soft.

6. Add tomato paste and incorporate well with vegetables.

7. Add the meat back to the pot and mix well.

8. Add the Guinness and wine (and Ipswich if you happen to have it :)

9. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. reduce to medium-high and simmer until the liquid is reduced to half, stirring every minute or so.

10. Add canned tomato, beans, corn, and spices.

11. Let it bubble for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.

12. Cover and reduce to low. Let it simmer for another 2 hrs or so, stirring once and a while.

*serve with LOTS of melted cheddar cheese on top!

Cod in Tomato Stew with Chorizo

I've recently started to love cod - I'm not sure why I never used to eat it. I prefer it in stews and other dishes rather than on its own since it holds well to other flavors. I keep a couple of large fillets in the freezer and 1lb of cod is perfect for this stew and feeds 2 people. Although this is hot, it's a good summer stew - fresh tasting with the tomatoes and cod and a little spicy and salty with the chorizo. Substitute the potatoes for a good crusty warm bread for dipping!!

1 medium to large leek, chopped
2 small (or 1 large) chorizo links, cut lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch pieces
4 medium red or yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28oz (large) can of diced tomatoes (fire roasted is good!)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 lb cod fillet, cut into thirds or in half, or large cubes if you prefer

1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Boil until just soft and drain.

2. In a large pan with high sides or a dutch oven, heat the oil on medium heat.

3. Add the leeks and chorizo and saute until leeks are soft, stir occasionally.

4. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the wine, water, salt and pepper. Bring to boil on high heat. Add the potatoes then partially cover the pot, reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Season the cod with salt and pepper and lay on top of the stew. Spoon some of the tomatoes on top of the fish to help it cook. It should take about 5 minutes. Flip gently if you need to.

7. When the fish is done, it's ready to serve!

Shrimp & Sausage Stew

This is very quick and easy. When I think stew, I think hours of bubbling goodness and a good bit of labor. But, this takes less than a half hour and it's very flavorful. We had it last night - good for a cold winter dinner.

3/4 lb spicy sausage (hot Italian or Andouille)
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 32 oz box of chicken broth (Whole Foods broth is my favorite)
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup canned diced tomatoes (Hunts fire-roasted works great)
6 fresh sprigs of thyme
1 lb shrimp

1. In a large pot, cook the sausage until about 3/4 cooked through. You can use sausage links, or I like to use ground sausage because the bits are incorporated throughout the stew rather than in big chunks.

2. Remove sausage from pot. Add the onions and garlic and sautee until soft in the sausage fat.

3. Add the flour, cumin and paprika and stir well until onions and garlic become dry.

4. Add the chicken broth and wine and stir until the onion/flour mixture is well incorporated.

5. Add the tomatoes and thyme. Bring stew to a boil and then simmer on medium for 30 minutes.

6. Add the sausage (3/4 cooked) and the shrimp (raw) and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
*Serve immediately - if you leave the shrimp in the stew for long, it tends to get tough.

Serves ~3 people.