Cook Like James

Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew

Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this hearty beef stew. Perfect to serve on St Patrick’s Day with some  homemade biscuits, or better yet, thick slices of Soda Bread. This recipe from Cook’s Country uses Guinness Draught beer to enhance the beef flavors and their “secret” ingredient - bittersweet chocolate – makes it over-the-top delicious. Using a slow cooker not only makes it a nearly hassle-free recipe, but also produces succulent meat, fork-tender vegetables, and a rich, flavorful broth.

Serves 6 to 8    Download Crockpot Guinness Beef Stew

4 pounds boneless beef chuck stew meat (about 11/2-inch chunks)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 ½ cups Guinness Draught

1tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 bay leaves

5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.

2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/4 cups stout, brown sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves and bring to boil, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker insert.

3. Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high for 6 to 7 hours).

4. Set slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, with crock pot covered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in peas and parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and discard bay leaf. Serve.

To Make Ahead: You can prepare the recipe through step 2 the night before the ingredients go into the slow cooker. Refrigerate the browned beef and the onion mixture in separate containers. In the morning, transfer the beef and the onion mixture to the slow cooker and proceed with step 3.

 

Hearty Rotisserie Chicken Soup with Pasta Shells, Tomatoes, and Zucchini

There’s nothing better than hearty soups during the winter months. When I don’t have time for long simmering stews, I like to turn to this recipe for a super fast soup with lots of flavor. It’s worth using homemade chicken stock, but if you don’t have it on hand, store bought low-sodium broth will do.

Download Hearty Rotisserie Chicken Soup Pasta Shells Tomatoes Zucchini

2 tablespoon vegetable oil or chicken fat

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken (about 4lbs), skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)

2 medium onions, cut into medium dice

2 quarts chicken stock (preferably homemade)

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

2 medium ribs celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained (I use Muir Glen)

1 cup pasta shells (small or medium)

1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves

Salt and ground black pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Heat oil (or chicken fat) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, celery, and zucchini; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and shredded chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add shells and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings, stir in basil, and serve with parmesan cheese on the side.

 

 

Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup – La Ribollita

Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup – La Ribollita

I love making big batches of soup on the weekend. I store some of it in the refrigerator, and the rest I freeze in quart containers for when I need a quick lunch or dinner. I also prefer using homemade chicken stock, which I also keep in the freezer. Whenever I have a rotisserie chicken from the market, I throw whatever is left in a pot with an onion, celery, some peppercorns and cover with 3 or 4 quarts of water and boil for an hour or two to create a rich and flavorful stock.  This traditional Italian soup is one of my favorites – it uses mostly basic ingredients, but is so delicious. The flavors intensify as it sits, so it’s even better the next day.

Download Easy Tuscan White Bean Soup recipe 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

6 ounces pancetta (or bacon), cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 large onion, chopped medium

1 leek, cleaned and chopped

2 medium celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

8 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade)

2 cups water

4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

2 medium bay leaves

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed

1 medium bunch kale or collard greens (about 1 pound), thick stems trimmed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)

1 (2-ounce) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oil and pancetta in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook pancetta, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fat has rendered, 6 to 10 minutes.  Add onion, leek, celery, and carrots. Cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 10 to 16 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, beans, bay leaves, diced tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and greens. Increase heat to high and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and greens are fully tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Remove pot from stove and submerge rosemary and thyme sprig in stew. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, thyme and rosemary sprig; Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use back of spoon to press some beans against side of pot to thicken stew. Serve lightly drizzled with olive oil.

Three Chile White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili is a great alternative to traditional chili and makes a great dish for Super Bowl Sunday.  Adjust the heat in this dish by adding the minced ribs and seeds from the jalapeño as directed in step 6. If Anaheim chiles cannot be found, add an additional poblano and jalapeño to the chili. Serve chili with sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges.

Download Three Chile White Bean Chicken Chili recipe

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 medium jalapeño chiles

3 poblano chiles (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces

3 Anaheim chile peppers (medium), stemmed, seeded, and cut into large pieces

2 medium onions, cut into large pieces (2 cups)

6 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon aniseed or fennel seeds

3 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans , drained and rinsed

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

4 scallions, white and light green parts sliced thin

1.  Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until skin is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and lightly brown on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; remove and discard skin.

2. While chicken is browning, remove and discard ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños; mince flesh. In food processor, process half of poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and 1 cup of onions until consistency of chunky salsa, eight to ten 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of workbowl halfway through. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining poblano chiles, Anaheim chiles, and onions; combine with first batch (do not wash food processor blade or workbowl).

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from Dutch oven (adding additional vegetable oil if necessary) and reduce heat to medium. Add minced jalapeños, chile-onion mixture, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, aniseed, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.

4. Transfer 1 cup cooked vegetable mixture to now-empty food processor workbowl. Add 1 can drained beans and 1 cup broth and process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add vegetable-bean mixture, remaining 2 cups broth, and chicken breasts to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken registers 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 20 to 25 minutes .

5. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large plate. Stir in remaining beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are heated through and chili has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.

6. Mince remaining jalapeño, reserving and mincing ribs and seeds (add ribs and seeds to taste – depending on how hot you like your chili), and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones. Stir shredded chicken, lime juice, cilantro, scallions, and remaining minced jalapeño (with seeds if desired) into chili and return to simmer. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.

Best Homemade Traditional Beef Stew featured on One for the Table

Make sure to check out the great articles and recipes on ONE FOR THE TABLE Click here for OFTT website They were kind enough to feature my beef stew recipe as Recipe of the Week. It's the perfect hearty dish on a cold winter night. 

You can find the Beef Stew recipe here  or at Cook Like James here

Easy “Creamy” Leek Potato Soup

EASY “CREAMY” LEEK POTATO SOUP

 

Potato and leek soup is a classic French recipe that couldn’t be more comforting on a cold winter day. It’s an easy recipe that requires only a few ingredients. The addition of a bread slice is typical in gazpacho recipes and adds to the “creamy” texture of the soup without using cream.  In addition to garnishing the soup with traditional croutons, Jacques Pepin - in his book Chez Jacques - recommends using chopped chervil as a garnish which adds a nice anise taste.

Download Easy Creamy Leek and Potato Soup recipe

4 medium leeks, white and light-green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced thin (about 4 cups), dark green parts halved, washed, and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Table salt

1 small russet potato (about 6 ounces), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 large slice high-quality sandwich bread, lightly toasted and torn into 1/2-inch pieces

Ground black pepper

1.  Bring dark-green leek pieces, broth, and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; set aside. Discard solids in strainer and rinse out saucepan.

2.  Melt butter in now-empty saucepan over medium-low heat. When butter foams, stir in sliced leeks, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3.  Increase heat to high, stir in reserved broth, potato, bay leaf, and herb sprig and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add toasted bread and simmer until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes.

4.  Remove and discard bay leaf and herb sprig. Transfer half of soup to a blender and process until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot (which is probably the best method if you have one).Return soup to saucepan and bring to simmer; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with garnish.

Rustic Butternut Squash Chowder with Apples and Sage

Rustic Butternut Squash Chowder with Apples and Sage

I recently watched Mark Bittman make this on the Today show and thought it sounded like a great recipe. It’s so easy to throw together because it all cooks in one roasting pan and does not require pureeing. The apples lend a nice sweetness and the sage works perfectly with the butternut squash. I served it for lunch with whole wheat grilled cheese sandwiches – it would also be a great first course for Thanksgiving.

Download Rustic Butternut Squash Soup recipe

Serves 4

1 butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1 large onion, chopped

2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 bacon slices, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup dry white wine or water

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spread the squash, onion, apples, bacon and garlic in a deep roasting pan or on a baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the oil.

4. Roast, stirring every now and then, until the squash, onion and apples are tender and browned and the bacon is crisp, which takes about 45 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven.

6. Stir in the sage and white wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom.

7. If you're using a roasting pan that can be used on the stovetop, position the pan over 2 burners and put both on medium heat. Otherwise, transfer the contents of the pan to a large pot or Dutch oven and set it over medium heat.

8. Add the stock and cook until the squash, onion and apples break apart and thicken and flavor the broth, which takes about 25 minutes. You can help the process along by breaking the mixture up a bit with a spoon.

9. If desired, garnish with crisp sage leaves - just heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add whole sage leaves and cook for 15-20 seconds, and then transfer to paper towel.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Sugar Spiced Croutons

 

You usually see this around Thanksgiving – it makes a great first course – but it’s also perfect on a cold winter day. I think the most impressed I’ve ever been with this soup was the first time I had it at Spago’s in Beverly Hills. Wolfgang Puck serves his signature soup with a cranberry relish and cardamom infused cream. I love the taste of cardamom – though a little goes a long way –  it definitely adds a new dimension to both sweet and savory dishes. When makes this at home,  I skip the relish and cream, but I do garnish the soup with sugar-spiced croutons – a worthy substitution!  Spago’s recipe also uses baked squash that is then pureed, but I opted for the method in Cook’s Illustrated which uses the seeds and fibers to build flavor, then steams the squash in a flavorful liquid.

Butternut Squash     Download Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

5 tablespoons butter

2 ½ - 3 pounds butternut squash (about 1 large), unpeeled, squash halved lengthwise, seeds and stringy fibers scraped with spoon and reserved (about 1/4 cup), and each half cut into quarters

1 chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)

½ small brown onion or 2 shallots, finely diced

1 apple peeled, cored, chopped

2 cups good quality chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups water

1/2 cup heavy cream 

2 teaspoons dark brown sugar 

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Salt

Sugar Spiced Croutons – recipe follows

1.    Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until foaming; add leek, onion (or shallots) and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and butter turns saffron color, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups broth, 3 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut-side down and chopped apple in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot.

2.    Cover and steam until squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Off heat, use tongs to transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet; reserve steaming liquid. When cool enough to handle, use large spoon to scrape flesh from skin into medium bowl; discard skin.

3.    Pour reserved steaming liquid through mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. Rinse and dry Dutch oven.

4.    In blender, puree squash, apple and reserved liquid in batches, pulsing on low until smooth. Transfer puree to Dutch oven; stir in cream, brown sugar and spices; heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add salt to taste.

5.    Serve immediately with Spiced Croutons

Sugar-Spiced Croutons

2 slices white sandwich bread (thick cut)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

2 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar 

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1.    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove crusts from bread and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Toss cubes with melted butter. Combine sugar with spices, and toss bread cubes with mixture. Spread cubes in even layer on parchment-lined baking sheet; bake until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Spiced Croutons:

Best Traditional Beef Stew

 

Best Traditional Beef Stew

 

Download Traditional Beef Stew Recipe

3 pounds stew beef

1 ½ teaspoons table salt 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

4 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 ½ cups red wine (like a Cotes du Rhone, Merlot or Pinot Noir)

3 cups homemade beef broth or canned low-sodium chicken broth 

2 bay leaves 

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

8-9 small red potatoes,(about 2 pounds) peeled and halved

4-6 large carrots, (about 1 ½ pounds) peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 ½ cups frozen peas (6 ounces), thawed

¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves 

1.    Heat oven to 300 degrees. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive soup kettle; add 1/2 beef to kettle. Let meat sear in pan without moving for 2 minutes and then brown meat on all sides, about 3-5 more minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil as needed. Remove meat and set aside.

2.    Add 1 T oil to now empty pot and add onions and 1/4 tsp salt; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic and tomato paste; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle.  Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.

3.    Remove kettle from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)

4.    Add peas and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings to taste, and serve.

 

Beef Stew Ingredients

 

 

 

 

Browning the meat in Le Creuset Dutch Oven

 

Best Traditional French Onion Soup Gratinee

 

This is one of my favorite soups – and unless you’re in Paris, it’s best to make it at home. Pungent yellow onions work best, and cooking them to a dark caramel color gives the soup depth and color. Tie the parsley and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine so they will be easy to retrieve from the soup pot.  

 

Find this and more great recipes on One for the Table - http://bit.ly/6G4E8O

Download French Onion Soup Gratinee Recipe

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), sliced thin

Salt 

7 ¾ cups homemade beef or veal broth (see recipe below)

1/4 cup dry red wine 

2 sprigs fresh parsley leaves 

5-6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together 

1 bay leaf 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

 Ground black pepper 

1 baguette, cut on the bias into 3/4-inch slices (2 slices per serving)

5 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese

1 1/2 ounces grated Asiago cheese (about 3/4 cup)

Instructions

1.    Melt butter in large soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add sliced onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat onions thoroughly with butter. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are reduced and syrupy and inside of pot is coated with very deep brown crust, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in the beef broth, red wine, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, and bring to simmer. Simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes, and discard herbs. Stir in balsamic vinegar and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. (Can be cooled to room temperature and refrigerated in airtight container up to 2 days; return to simmer before finishing soup with croutons and cheese).

2.    Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, flipping once, until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven. Turn the oven to broil.

3.    Set heat-safe soup bowls or crocks on rimmed baking sheet and fill each with about 1 1/2 cups soup. Top each bowl with two toasted baguette slices and sprinkle Gruyere cheese evenly on bread, followed by 2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese over each serving and broil until well browned and bubbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Homemade Beef Stock 

Makes 2 quarts

8 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

6 sprigs fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

4 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary

2 dried bay leaves

2 whole cloves

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1/2 pound beef-stew meat, cubed

2 pounds veal bones, (Ask your butcher to cut the veal bones into smaller pieces)

2 pounds meaty crosscut beef shanks (preferably 1 inch thick)

1 large onion, peel on, quartered

2 large carrots, cut into thirds

2 stalks celery, cut into thirds

2 cups water (or dry red wine)

1.    Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Make a bouquet garni by wrapping parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Tie with kitchen twine, and set aside. Arrange meat, veal bones, onion, carrots, and celery in an even layer in a heavy roasting pan. Roast, turning every 20 minutes, until the vegetables and the bones are deep brown, about 1- 1 ½ hours.  

2.    Transfer meat and vegetables to a 6- to 8-quart stockpot. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add 2 cups water (or wine) and deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Add deglazing liquid to stockpot along with 14 cups water, celery, salt, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil and skim froth. Reduce to a simmer, liquid should just bubble up to surface. Simmer over the lowest possible heat for 3-4 hours; a skin may form on the surface of the liquid; skim off with a slotted spoon, and discard. Repeat as needed. Add water if at any time the level drops below the bones. 

3.    Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids. If using stock right away, skim off and discard fat. If not, cool stock completely, uncovered, before skimming fat (it will be easier to remove when cool), then chill, covered.