Persian Inspired Herb and Beef Stew with Rice

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cubed

kosher salt and black pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsps. lemon zest plus 2 Tbls. lemon juice

3-4 cups low sodium beef broth or Better than Bullion beef broth

1-14 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 14-ounce can white beans, drained

2 cups baby spinach

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped 

1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp. chopped chives

2 cups cooked basmati rice

Crumbled feta or goat cheese for serving

Fresh mint for serving

Instructions for:

SLOW COOKER

1. 1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, sear the beef on both sides. Remove the beef and transfer to the slow cooker. 

   2. To the slow cooker, add the onion, garlic, turmeric, crushed red pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, 3 cups broth, the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. During the last hour of cooking, add the beans, spinach, cilantro, parsley, dill, and chives. If you would like a thinner consistency, add the remaining 1 cup broth.

   3. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the stew over top. Top with cheese and herbs.

   
   

   INSTANT POT 

   1. 1. Switch the instant pot to sauté. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Sear the beef on both sides until browned. Turn the instant pot off.

      2. To the instant pot, add the onion, garlic, turmeric, crushed red pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, 3 cups broth, the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.

      3. Switch the instant pot to sauté. Add the beans, spinach, cilantro, parsley, dill, and chives. Boil 8-10 minutes until the the sauce thickens slightly. If you would like a thinner consistency, add the remaining 1 cup broth.

      4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the stew over top. Top with cheese and herbs.

      
      

      OVEN

      1. 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe braiser, sear the beef on both sides. Remove the beef to a plate. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, crushed red pepper, and lemon zest, cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. 

         2. Add back the beef. Pour in the 3 cups broth, the tomatoes, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the beef is tender.

         3. Remove from the oven and place over low heat. Stir in the beans, spinach, cilantro, parsley, dill, and chives, and simmer 10-15 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the stew is very fragrant. If you would like a thinner consistency, add the remaining 1 cup broth.

         4. To serve, divide the rice among bowls and ladle the stew over top. Top with cheese and herbs.

Dad's Beef Stew

This is the BEST beef stew recipe and it just may be your go to from now on.

• INGREDIENTS:
• ¼ cup olive or avocado oil
• 2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, excess fat removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, peeled roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 - 5 Tbsp flour (depending on desired thickness. 3 Tbsp. is rather runny)
• 3 cups brown stock or beef stock (This recipe is more of a dry stew consistency. If you want more soup base, put in 4 or 5 cups of beef stock and then adjust the seasonings to the added amount of beef stock.)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 lb waxy (low starch) potatoes such as Yukon golds, red-skinned potatoes or white round potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large celery ribs, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt to taste

• INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Pat any excess moisture off the beef with clean paper towels. This will help you get a nice dark brown sear on the meat. Season the meat generously with Kosher salt.
3. In a heavy, cast-iron dutch oven or brazier, heat the oil over high heat. When the oil is really hot, add the beef and brown it thoroughly on all sides of the cubes. Don't overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if necessary.
4. 
   

1. When a rich brown crust has developed on all sides of the beef,  remove it from the pan and set it aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes or so, or until they turn slightly soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the flour to form a thin paste. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring throughout.
4. Now slowly pour in the stock, gently scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
5. Add the bay leaf, the dried herbs and the browned beef to the pot along with the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and the cracked pepper. Heat on the stovetop until the liquid comes to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer the whole thing to the oven.
6. Let the meat braise in the oven for one hour.
7. Remove pot from the oven, add the potatoes, carrots and celery, cover the pot again and return it to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
8. Transfer the pot from the oven to the stovetop. Remove the lid and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the stew is thickened.
9. Stir in the peas, adjust seasoning with Kosher salt and serve right away, garnished with the chopped parsley.

Brooke's Friend's Beef Stew

This stew is fabulous. It takes time, but it's worth it. 

Total prep time: 26 hr. 35 min.

Prep: 15 min.

Inactive: 24 hours

Cook: 2 hr. 20 min.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 (750 ml. bottle) good red wine
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
good olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 pound white mushrooms, stems discarded and cut in 1/2
1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves
2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) chicken stock or broth
1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

Directions:
Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning brown evenly. Place the beef in a large oven-proof Dutch oven and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need more oil.) Place all the beef in t
he Dutch oven.
Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven over the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.
Before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot.

Waldorf Stew

2 lbs. round beef

2 onions cut in chunks

1 c. celery

2 c. carrots

potatoes (as many as desired)

1 can tomato soup

1 can water

1 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. tapioca

Brown meat in large browning pan.  Add onions, celery carrots, potatoes, and saute' for 30 seconds or so.  

Mix the tomato soup, water, salt and tapioca together and pour into the meat and vegetable mixture.

Bake at 250 degrees for 5 hours.