Warm Up With Tender Beef Stew

When the days begin to cool and the darkness of night comes early, I love to get cozy with a bowl of warm, nutritious goodness such as stew, chili con carne or hearty soup.  It stirs old memories of comforting bowls of chicken noodle soup lovingly served during childhood.  Of course, it's not quite the same when you have to make it for yourself, but it's a lovely feeling to know you are providing a nurturing meal and memory for your family or friends. 

The following stew is easy, but does take a bit more time since the root vegetables are roasted prior to adding to the stew.  However, it is worth the effort!  Roasting with a little olive oil deepens the complex flavors of the carrots, onions and parsnips.  Cook the stew slowly for exceptionally tender beef and rich broth.  I like to add swiss chard, but any greens would work or leave them out if you prefer.  Moms will be especially pleased when the kiddies devour this meal with nary a complaint about veggies.  Serve simply with crusty bread and a glass of dry red wine.  True comfort food!

Beef Stew with Roasted Root Vegetables & Barley

Ingredients:

4 carrots, peeled & cut cut into 1-inch chunks

2 parsnips, peeled & cut into 1-inch chunks

1 TB sugar

2 onions, chopped

1 TB chopped fresh or 1 ts dried thyme

1 1/2 lbs of lean beef (I like sirloin), cut into 1-inch chunks

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups beef broth

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup barley,rinsed (if using quick-cooking variety, add in step 7)

1 package (8oz) mushrooms

1 bunch of swiss chard, stems removed and chopped, leaves rolled lengthwise and thinly sliced

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Spread carrots and onion in the pan.

3.  Put parsnips in a small bowl, spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with the sugar.  Toss to coat and spread in pan. 

4.  Spray all veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with thyme.  Toss to coat and spread in a single layer in pan.  Roast, stirring once or twice, until veggies are browned & crisp tender, about 30 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, spray dutch oven with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat.  Cook the beef, in batches, until all sides are browned.  Transfer beef to plate.

6.  Saute the garlic for about 1 minute and then return the beef to dutch oven.  Add broth, barley, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

7.  Stir in the mushrooms and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer,covered, for about 15 minutes.  Stir in roasted veggies and swiss chard and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until beef and barley are very tender, about 15 minutes (will vary depending on cut of meat).

Veggie Plays Hard to Get

Today was the day.  As I strolled through the grocery store this morning (while most of you were still snug in bed), I decided to take the plunge.  After my initial shock over its waxy and blatantly unattractive appearance, I found the rutabaga that was destined for my roasting pan.  Paring and chopping that ungainly sphere of fiber proved to be more challenging than I'd anticipated, but I fought the good fight.  As you can see from my dinner pic above, the rutabaga was soundly defeated, then peeled, cubed and roasted with a pan full of more docile root vegetables.   All in all, I give rutabagas... a thumb down.  But don't take my word for it, as rutabagas could very well be the vegetable of your dreams. 

The menu: simple grilled chicken & roasted root vegetables with balsamic vinaigrette.  This meal would have paired nicely with a barley or brown rice pilaf.  My sons would have greatly appreciated some warm, familiar rice with their chicken and... rutabaga. 

I have only included the recipe for the roasted veggies.  If you need an easy grilled chicken recipe, leave a comment to this post.  Enjoy!

Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 4 medium red-skin potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into eighths (red adds a nice color, but any type will work)
• 1 rutabaga, pared & cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups baby carrots, whole
• 1 ts sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 TB
• 2 TB balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley
• 1 ts dried thyme
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with olive oil.

Add the chopped rutabaga to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat.  Add the potatoes, carrots and onions to the bowl.  Stir in 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss to coat.  Spread vegetables evenly on the prepared baking sheet. 

Bake in prepared oven for 40-50 minutes (could be longer depending on your oven).  Stir the vegetables every 15 minutes to prevent sticking and check for tenderness.  When veggies are tender, increase heat to 500 degrees for about 5-10 minutes (watch closely to prevent scorching) so the veggies begin to brown nicely.  Meanwhile, combine 2 TB oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley and thyme in a small bowl and whisk together. 

When veggies are browned, remove from the oven and add back to the mixing bowl or a serving bowl.  Dress with the vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly.  Serve warm.  8 servings 

Notes: After preparing, I have added sugar to this recipe and believe it will cut any bitterness from the rutabaga.  If you aren't feeling reassured, substitute cubed butternut squash or pumpkin in place of the rutabaga.  In fact, this recipe will work for lots of veggies, but stick with combinations that have similar roasting times.