Sunday Beef Stew Food

SLOW-COOKER SUNDAY STEW

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Pour off any excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet.
• Put the flour and some salt and pepper in a resealable plastic bag and add the beef. Toss to coat the beef thoroughly. Heat the bacon grease in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the skillet in 2 batches and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Set aside.
• Put the onions in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the beef, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, garlic and jalapeno. Season with a big pinch of salt and some black pepper. Cut the bacon into large pieces and sprinkle them over the top.
• Pour the beer into a pitcher, whisk in the tomato paste and Worcestershire and then pour it over the vegetables. Add enough beef broth to just cover the meat and top with the parsley and rosemary sprigs. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
• Serve with Buttery Lemon Parsley Noodles and garnish with about 1 teaspoon of parsley per portion.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. (If using angel hair, stop just short of the al dente stage.) Drain and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Add the parsley, garlic and lemon zest and stir. Throw in the drained pasta and cook, tossing and coating it in the mixture, so that a few of the pieces get a little bit of a pan-fried texture to them, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and some salt and pepper and toss again.

SUNDAY BEEF FOR WEEKNIGHTS THIS IS A MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ALTERNATIVE TO SPARE RIBS

Steps:

• Heat a deep, heavy bottomed skillet over high heat, then add 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Season meat with salt and pepper, then caramelize the meat 2 minutes on each side.
• Cut leek lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch slices across. Wash under running water in colander, separating all of the layers. Drain well.
• Remove steaks from pan and reduce heat to medium high. Add butter to the pan and the leeks, garlic, carrot, celery and potatoes. Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add thyme and bay sprigs. Saute veggies 10 minutes. Add flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in red wine and reduce 1 minute. Whisk in broth and bring to a bubble. Stir in jelly. Slide meat into pan. If serving immediately, simmer over medium heat 7 to 10 minutes. If this meal is a make-ahead, remove the dish from the stove top at this point. When you reheat, bring sauce to a bubble and simmer 5 to 7 minutes over moderate heat.
• Work on other dishes in your menu or dessert with the pockets of time created as veggies and meat cook.
• Remove from stove top and serve each steak with lots of veggies and broth in shallow dishes with crusty bread for dipping.