Beef Fennel Stew Food

ULTIMATE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300˚ F.
• Heat the oil in a large (11- to 12-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
• Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown half the meat in the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. (Don't cook them all in one batch or they won't brown!) Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
• Off the heat, add the Cognac and 1/3 cup of the wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add the onions and fennel and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and juices), 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake for 1 1/4 hours, checking occasionally to be sure the liquid is simmering.
• Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake for one hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasonings and serve hot in large, shallow bowls.

BEEF FENNEL STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Trim the fat from the beef, and cut the beef into strips. Put the beef, onions, fennel, and roasted garlic into a large braising pan. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper. Pour the beer over the ingredients in the pan, submerging them. Cover the pan tightly with two layers of aluminum foil. Cook the stew in the oven for 8 hours. Transfer the stew to bowls, and garnish with fennel fronds.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Cut the heads of garlic in half and sprinkle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Wrap the heads in aluminum foil, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

SLOW-COOKER SICILIAN-STYLE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon oil and half of beef, in a single layer; cook, turning a few times, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. Repeat with remaining oil and beef. Add shallots and wine to skillet; cook, scraping up browned bits, until wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker; stir in tomatoes with their juices, fennel, rosemary, and zest. Cover and cook on high until meat is fork-tender, about 4 1/2 hours.
• Stir in olives; season with salt and pepper. Remove rosemary; serve, with mashed potatoes, orange wedges, and more pepper.

THICK & CREAMY BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 5 quart casserole over medium high heat. Add 1/3 of the beef cubes and brown on all sides (6-8 minutes). Transfer meat to plate or bowl. Repeat with remainder of beef until all is browned.
• Add chopped onion to pan, reducing heat to low and sauté for about 6-8 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent.
• Return beef to pan and sprinkle with flour, tossing until all is coated. Transfer all to casserole to oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Pour any reserved juices (from beef on plate) over the beef, along with the wine and broth (if beef is not covered add more beef broth or water).
• Tie parley sprigs, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a cheesecloth.
• Add herbs (in cheese cloth bag) to beef with salt and pepper.
• Bring mixture to a boil on top of stove and then transfer mixture to casserole and then to oven.
• Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in carrots, adding more broth (or water) is sauce is too thick or mixture seems dry. Continue baking for 30-45 minutes (20-30 if using baby carrots). Discard cheesecloth bag.
• While stew is baking in oven, in a medium saucepan boil water (enough to cover onions) and add onions and boil for 1 minute. Drain onions and peel onions.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon butter. Add onions to skillet and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Remove onions from skillet and add to stew, along with the fennel (if using) in casserole in the oven. Continue baking for 20 more minutes.
• Remove from oven and add peas to casserole, simmering an additional 5-10 minutes on top of the stove. Stir in minced parsley.

BEEF STEW WITH FENNEL & ORANGE GREMOLATA

Steps:

• To prepare stew, heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan.
• Add 2 cups fennel bulb, bell pepper, onion, and garlic to pan; reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beef, carrot, and next 9 ingredients (carrot through broth). Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add parsnip; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally.
• To prepare gremolata, combine 1/2 cup fennel bulb, fennel fronds, and grated orange rind in a small bowl.
• Spoon 1 1/3 cups stew into each of 6 bowls; top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons gremolata.

SEAFOOD STEW WITH FENNEL AND THYME

Steps:

• Combine mussels, 1 1/4 cups onions, wine, and 8 parsley sprigs in large pot; bring to boil. Cover and cook until mussels open, shaking pot often, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl to cool (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain cooking liquid into large measuring cup; discard vegetables in strainer. Add enough water to cooking liquid to measure 2 cups total. Remove mussels from shells if desired.
• Melt butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups onions, leeks, and fennel and sauté until leeks are soft, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add reserved mussel cooking liquid, 4 parsley sprigs, clam juice, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are tender and liquid has reduced by 1/3, about 25 minutes. Add halibut and scallops to broth and simmer until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer halibut and scallops to bowl. Discard parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves.
• Whisk crème fraîche and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in 1/2 cup hot cooking liquid from pot. Gradually stir yolk mixture into stew. Cook over medium heat until liquid thickens slightly, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes (do not allow mixture to boil). Return halibut, scallops, and mussels to pan. Cook until halibut is heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed shallow bowls.
• *Crème fraîche is sold at some supermarkets. If unavailable, heat 1 cup whipping cream to lukewarm (85°F). Remove from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Cover and let stand in warm, draft-free area until slightly thickened, 24 to 48 hours, depending on temperature of room. Refrigerate until ready to use.