Lydias French Oven Stew Food

LIDIA BASTIANICH - BEEF IN SGUAZET (BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Soften the dried porcini about 30 minutes in a cupful of warm water, trim, and reserve the strained liquid.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until transparent.
• Add the bones, meat, bay leaves, cloves, salt, pepper and paprika, and sauté 10 minutes longer.
• Add the wine, raise the heat, and cook about 10 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half.
• Add the tomato paste and the porcini.
• Stir slowly and thoroughly, and add the reserved mushroom liquid.
• Simmer five minutes.
• Add half the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens, about two hours.
• As the mixture cooks, add the remaining stock little by little.
• When the sguazet is finished, there should be about 6 cups of thick, chunky sauce.
• Serve with pasta, polenta or rice.

FRENCH BEEF STEW WITH OLD-FASHIONED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place the beef in the dutch oven with the onions and carrots and and bouquet garni. Add the red wine and the red wine vinegar. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.After it has fully marinated, remove the beef and pat it with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. This will enable it to brown properly and get that brown crust that is essential for the flavor of the stew.
• Heat the oil in the dutch oven over medium-high heat once the oil is very hot add the beef, a few pieces at a time. Be sure not to overcrowd the pot otherwise the beef won't brown, it will simply steam. Generously brown the pieces on all sides. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.Add the onions and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Strain the contents of the marinade into a sieve over the dutch oven (DO NOT discard the marinade). Discard the onions and carrots from the marinade but keep the bouquet garni.
• Return the beef to the Dutch oven with the bouquet garni and the whole cloves. (Note: You can choose to wrap the cloves in a bit of cheesecloth or muslin so that you don't have to fish them out later from the serving on your plate.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.Towards the end of the hour, chop up the vegetables. (For contrast and variety, I like to chop each of the vegetables into different shapes and sizes.) Add the vegetables along with the tomato sauce, salt and pepper. Stir a bit to combine.Return everything to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for another hour or until the vegetables are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If you think the beef can handle further cooking without falling apart, go ahead and simmer it for another 30 or more minutes, it will only get better!)
• Serve with some crusty bread.This stew is even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.

FRENCH OVEN STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven 300 degrees.
• Mix all ingredients in a heavy 3 quart ovenproof saucepot.
• Cover and bake, stirring once an hour, for 3 hours or until meat is tender and sauce is thickened.
• Discard bay leaves before serving or storing.
• Serve over buttered noodles if desired.
• You can use frozen small white onions instead of fresh but add them to the pot 1 hour before stew is done.
• You can also add frozen peas or frozen beans 20 minutes before stew is done -- .

FRENCH OVEN STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300°.
• Mix all ingredients (except peas and pearl onions) into a heavy 3 quart oven proof sauce pot.
• Cover and bake, stirring 3 times, 3 hours or until meat is tender and sauce thickened.
• Add peas and onions 1 hour before stew is done.
• Discard bay leaves before stirring.

LYDIA'S PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Melt butter in a dutch oven and saute beef in butter until brown. Add onions for an additional 3-5 minutes just until translucent.
• Add potatoes and enough water to cover meat and potatoes.Bring to a simmer and cook until meat and potatoes are tender(about 45-60 minutes).
• Add carrots and cabbage last, cook until cabbage is tender.(maybe 20 minutes).
• Add last, salt and garlic salt/powder to taste.