I love a stew in the winter and its a tradition in our house that I make it, lately Will has taken to helping too and he is coming along well in the family tradition. Our simple but tasty stew is always made on a Sunday evening after Sunday lunch using the leftover meat and veg, like this - Big pot 3/4 filled with salted water to taste - we like a good bit of salt. Add all leftover meat no little chicken bones but lamb bones are ok. Add any other leftover veg. Add more veg - usually one whole chopped swede, an whole chapped parsnip. a chopped large onion. A cuple of large carrots peeled and chopped. two oxo cubes beef or chicken. Bring to boil, then simmer for a couple of hours, Reheat tomorrow afternoon add some potatoes and bring to boil. Dumplings with lamb and beef stew only in our house, dumplings are easy to make with suet and self raising flour. Serve hot with lashings of bread and butter, yummy. How do you make yours then.
Chelle does an excellent stew, based on a greek recipe of Kleftiko she takes diced lamb & puts it, along with the following into a pot the juice of 1 lemon about half a dozen bay leaves carrots onion small or new potatoes depending on whats available 1/2 pint of cold water She leaves it cooking on a low heat setting for most of the day & when we get home, its sat smelling great!!
Chuck anything in on top of the usual starters - onions, garlic, carrots, celery innit. Then add spices for curry or some random herbs and wine for stew. Cook as low and slow as you can stand and fill the biggest pan you have to the brim.
All these sound good. Any old veg - check; one big pot - check; herbs and wine - check. How about some pearl barley while you're at it?
Just had this today for family gathering: 1.5kg Ox cheek - really cheap cut of beef. Cut into big chunks, dust with flour and brown in a stew pan in batches. When all beef browned, put chopped up onion, celery and carrot into the pan and cook for 10 mins or so. Add two bay leaves, a sprig of thyme salt and pepper then put back the beef. Add 3/4 bottle of full bodied red wine and some beef stock. Cover tightly and cook at 160 for 2 1/2 - 3 hours until meat can be cut with a spoon. Serve with mashed spuds and veg of choice. Bliss.
I like winter as being a northern vegetable meself tis the season of broth and dumplings. All those root veggies bubbling away in a pot Yum!