Beef Stew Rachael Ray Food

SIMPLE SICILIAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and oven to 300 degrees F with racks in lower third and upper third of oven.
• Pat meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Add some olive oil to the pan, 1 turn of the pan, melt about a tablespoon of butter into oil and when it foams, add about a third of the meat. Brown evenly on all sides and remove, then repeat with more oil and butter as needed and removing meat to platter or tray as you work. Add remaining oil and butter and when butter foams add the onions, fennel and garlic, bay, citrus and rosemary. Partially cover and soften about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste, then stir and add wine. Reduce 2 to 3 minutes, then add beef, stock, semi-dried or sundried tomatoes, olives and chile flakes or paste. Cover and place in oven for about 2 hours until very tender.
• Arrange the Roma tomatoes on a small baking sheet, dress with EVOO, thyme, salt and pepper and slow roast them along with the meat, for 2 hours.
• Serve beef on a platter topped with tomatoes or in shallow bowls atop Polenta or potatoes.
• Heat water and milk in a saucepan to a low boil, then whisk in cornmeal and season with salt and pepper. Cook 35 to 40 minutes, whisking occasionally, until thickened and creamy to taste. Stir in butter to serve.

BEEF STEW SCENTED WITH HORSERADISH

Steps:

• Pat the meat dry, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and dredge in flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot and ripping, add half the meat and brown, and then remove to plate. Repeat with the second batch of meat. Once all the meat is evenly browned, reduce the heat a bit and add another drizzle of oil if necessary. Then add the onions, garlic and bay and cook to soften, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir a minute. Then stir in the beer and reduce by half, a minute or 2 more. Add the Worcestershire, stock, horseradish and beef. Add just enough water to surround the meat and partially cover. Simmer over medium-low heat for 2 hours, until very tender. Cool and store in the fridge for a make-ahead meal.
• To serve, quarter the potatoes, cover with water in a medium pot and bring to boil. Salt the water and cook to just-tender, 10 to 12 minutes, tops. Drain and return to the hot pot. Add the butter and parsley and stir to melt the butter.
• Place a small pile of buttered potatoes in each shallow bowl, top with stew and garnish with watercress leaves. Serve with pumpernickel or sourdough bread.
• Cook's Note: When storing bread in your kitchen for a few days, wrap tightly in plastic to keep tender, and crisp in a hot oven. Do not refrigerate.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the meatballs:
• Pour the milk over bread and soak to soften.
• Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the cheese, EVOO, fennel, crushed red pepper, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and crumble into crumbs as you add it to the meat. Combine the meatball mix and roll into 2-inch balls. Place the meatballs on nonstick baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray and roast until browned but not fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the stew:
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and bay, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, then break up the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the basil, potatoes and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back to medium, partially cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Serve, or cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium-low flame, partially covered, stirring occasionally (or reheat in a 325 degree F oven) until sauce is bubbly.
• To serve, top shallow bowls of stew with cheese and an extra drizzle of EVOO.

MEXICAN BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Stem and seed the chiles and place in a pot with beef stock over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently to reconstitute (see Cook's Note).
• Heat a large Dutch oven with a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat, and add the bacon to the pan and stir until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pat the meat dry, season with a little salt and lots of black pepper, then add to the bacon drippings and brown evenly to caramelize the meat. Brown the meat in 2 batches if necessary in order not to crowd the pan. Remove the meat and add another drizzle of oil, if necessary. Add the onions, and garlic and soften a few minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, cocoa, cinnamon, and cloves, and stir to toast the spices and combine. Deglaze the pan with beer and evaporate.
• In a food processor, puree the softened peppers and stock with tomatoes. Pour into the pot, slide the browned meat and bacon back in, and drizzle in the honey. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat falls apart with a fork. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat and add the lime juice just before serving.
• Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro leaves, and serve with tortillas or rice and warm black beans.