The challenge here was to update that classic recipe to something new and modern. After a pleasing phở lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant, I realized that the two dishes share a lot in common. I thought I could marry some of the flavors of the phở broth with some traditional beef stew ingredients (carrots, onions, etc.). The result was an aromatic beef stew that frankly came out even better than I was hoping. The key is to let it sit overnight though, the flavors need to mingle and mellow. But that's easy, just make it a day or two before. It would be excellent for a holiday dinner or a new year's eve feast.
I served the stew over an attempt at a potato/celery root "cake" that didn't quite turn out as expected. Instead, I would recommend serving the stew with something creamier, like a potato gratin (there are dozens of recipes online for this, I recommend Ina's fennel/potato gratin in particular). I also served a sauteed kale that was wonderful. I fried some sliced garlic in the olive oil first, then added the kale along with some stock and sultanas.
As a side note, one of our pick two guests turned out to be vegetarian. Next time, I will make sure to ask about dietary needs before the menu is made. Luckily there were enough vegetarian items in the first course, as well as sides for the main, that it worked out just fine. Lesson learned though. Happy holidays everyone.
Aromatic Beef Stew
Ingredients
4-5 lbs. of grass-fed stew beef (I used chuck roast), trimmed and cubed
1/4 cup olive oil (ordinary not extra virgin)
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
4-5 carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
1/2 bottle of dry, full bodied red wine (I used chianti here)
2 cups beef or mushroom broth
salt and pepper
for the bouquet garni:
1 large sprig rosemary
8-10 sprigs of thyme
3 star anise
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
cheese cloth
Directions
1. Make the bouquet garni. Place the rosemary, thyme, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick on a large piece of cheesecloth. Wrap and tie in a bundle using kitchen twine.
2. Prep the beef and vegetables. Peel and dice the carrots and the onion. Set vegetables aside. Cube beef into large (1-2 inch) cubes. Spread the flour in a large dish, add a big pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper - stir to mix into the flour. Make sure meat is dry and at room temperature. Add beef to the flour and lightly coat each cube, shaking off any excess flour.
3. Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat for several minutes. Pour the oil in the pan. Add beef cubes to hot pan and brown on each side, it may take several batches. Absolutely do not crowd the pan or you will steam the meat. Remove browned cubes to a plate.
4. After meat has been browned, turn heat down to medium low and add the carrots and onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Saute and stir the veggies around in the beef fat for several minutes.
5. Once the onion is soft, add 1/4 cup of the red wine to deglaze the pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Once that is complete, add the rest of the wine and the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Once the mixture has come to a boil, add the bouquet garni and the browned beef back to the pot. Turn heat down so that you maintain a soft simmer. Cover the pan slightly and let cook for 4 to 4.5 hours or until the meat is tender. You should be able to cut the meat with a fork when it is ready.
7. Let the stew cool, remove the bouquet garni, and put the pan in the fridge to let sit overnight (stew can sit for 2-3 days in the fridge if that makes it easier).
8. Reheat the stew in the pan for about 15 minutes over low heat before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions or chopped flat leaf parsley.
Sauteed Kale with garlic chips and sultanas
Ingredients
2 large bunches of organic green or black kale, ribs removed, leaves cut in large strips
1/2 cup of golden raisins (sultanas), soaked in hot water for about 10 minutes
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon of red chili flakes
1/4 cup ordinary olive oil
3/4 cup of chicken broth
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan for several minutes. Add the sliced garlic to the hot pan. Let the garlic fry for about 30 seconds then stir the slices around for a minute in the pan, allowing the edges to brown. The garlic should gently fry in the oil, if it does not sizzle, turn up the heat a bit. Remove the browned garlic to a plate before they burn.
2. Turn heat to low and add sliced kale to the pan, the oil may sputter a bit but do not worry. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, several grinds of black pepper, and a fat pinch of red chili flakes. Place the lid on the pan.
3. After a 3-4 minutes, remove lid and press down on the kale. Add the chicken broth and drained sultanas to the pan. Place the lid back on the pan.
4. Let everything cook with the lid on for another 5 minutes or so. Then, remove the lid, and stir everything around a few times and put the lid back on. Cook kale for another 8-10 minutes on low heat, all the liquid should be absorbed when the kale is done cooking. When ready to serve, decant the kale into a large serving bowl and sprinkle over the garlic chips.
