Soulful Stew Food

SOUTHERN SMOTHERED OXTAILS

Steps:

• Season the oxtails with 2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp black pepper.
• Drizzle the worcestershire sauce all over the oxtails, then toss the oxtails to make sure that they are coated.
• Next, sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour all over the oxtails, and make sure that the oxtails are coated with the flour.
• Next pour the vegetable oil into a large pan, and place the pan over medium heat.
• Once the oil is nice and hot, add the oxtails in, and brown them.
• Once the oxtails are nice and brown remove them from the pan, and put them in the slow cooker.
• Return back to the pan with the hot oil.
• If they are burnt pieces in the pan, pour out the oil, strain, clean the pan, then pour the strained oil back into the pan.
• Start adding the remaining flour into the pan, but only a little bit at a time.
• Whisk continuously.
• Once the flour is brown, and resembles " chunky peanut butter", slowly pour in the beef broth or water.
• Whisk while you pour!
• Make sure everything is lump free, then turn the heat from medium to high.
• Once the gravy reaches a full boil, reduce the heat to medium, and add in the sliced onions, and garlic.
• Stir the gravy, and do a taste test.
• Add as much salt & pepper that you think you may need.
• Turn the heat off, and pour the gravy into the slow cooker covering the oxtails.
• Make sure that the oxtails are nicely covered with gravy, then set the slow cooker on high.
• Let cook for 8 hours.
• Once done serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or whatever you'd like.
• Enjoy!

CHICKEN STEW FOR THE SOUL

Steps:

• In a large pot, cover the chicken with water, and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat, add chicken bouillon cubes and onion, and continue cooking chicken at a low boil until chicken is done, but not quite falling off the bone, approximately 30 minutes. Turn off the heat; remove the chicken from broth and remove skin and bones. Cut up and return to the broth-heat still off. Mix flour, salt, and mace in a large bowl. Crumble the butter into the flour with a fork, and add the eggs and milk. Mix with a strong wooden spoon until the dough is smooth. Divide dough into four portions to make it easy to work with. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. Put the broth back on the heat and bring to a rolling boil. Cut the rolled-out dough into 2 to 3-inch squares and drop them into the boiling broth. Stir occasionally to keep the dough from sticking together as it boils. After all the dough has been dropped in the pot, turn the heat down to low, and simmer the "pop-eye", lid on, for about 20 minutes. When it becomes irresistibly creamy and thick.

SOULFUL STEW

Steps:

• Strip any large, tough stems from the spinach and give it a good washing. Dry the leaves in a salad spinner or pat dry. Stack 10 leaves on top of one another and roll them up like a cigar. Slice into wide ribbons. Continue til all the leaves are sliced; set aside.
• Cut the chicken into 1 by 3/4-inch strips. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and toss the chicken in it. Set a large Dutch oven on the stove and heat 6 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high. Add the chicken in batches and brown lightly. As the chicken gets done, scoop it out of the pot into a bowl. Set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot if it looks dry, and toss in the onions, green peppers, celery, and jalapeños, seasoning them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the ham and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Dump the chicken back in, along with its juices. Add the bay leaf, broth, tomatoes, Mutha Sauce, Worcestershire, and carrots. Cover the pot and bring everything to a boil; then crack the lid, turn down the heat to low, and simmer til the carrots are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Uncover the pot and throw in the blackeyed peas, corn, and spinach. Season the stew with the cumin, thyme, and oregano, and let everything simmer for another 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Take out the bay leaf and taste the stew to see if it needs some salt and pepper; then spice everything up with Tabasco.
• Serve the stew steamin' hot in great big soup bowls.