A cookbook, Stews and Soups, published in 1976, explains that “a stew or ragout as it is called in French, can be elegant or a simple family dish.”
Cookbook authors have other advice: “Gentle browning and slow cooking produce tender morsels of marvelously flavoured meat.”
This week’s recipes offer three ideas for preparing a heart-warming family dish or one elegant enough for a pot luck dinner.
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Herbed Stew and Mushroom Dumplings
2 1/2 lbs. chuck roast
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsps. salad oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup hot water
4 cups tomato juice
2 tbsps. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. dried rosemary
6 small onions, quartered
4 carrots, peeled and quartered
1-10 oz. package frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings:
1 egg, beaten
2/3 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Cut meat into 1 inch cubes and coat with flour.
Heat oil in a large kettle. Brown meat on all sides. Add garlic, water, tomato juice, sugar and herbs. Cover and simmer one hour or until meat is tender.
Add onions and carrots and cook 30 minutes longer. Add peas, salt and pepper. Cook five minutes. Reduce heat to low.
To make dumplings, mix the beaten egg with the soup. Add flour and baking powder. Mix together well.
Drop by tablespoon onto top of stew. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Do not lift lid until time is up.
Remove dumplings. Dish stew into a large tureen and serve with dumplings.
Makes six generous servings.
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Italian Stew
1 lb. Italian sausages
1 lb. ground beef
2 tsps. Kitchen Bouquet
2-1 lb. cans stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2-1 lb. cans whole potatoes, drained
1-10 oz. package frozen green beans
3 tbsps. flour
3 tbsps. water
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, optional, for garnish
Slice sausages into 1 inch thick chunks and brown in a deep dish electric frying pan.
Mix ground beef with Kitchen Bouquet and shape into meatballs. Push sausage to one side of frying pan, then add meatballs and brown. Drain off all fat.
Mix sausage and ground beef then add tomatoes, potatoes, beans, seasoning and salt and pepper. Cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
Blend flour with water and stir into stew. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer or until beans are tender.
Serve in individual bowls and garnish with cheese, if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.
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Pork Ribs and Sauerkraut Stew
4 lbs. pork spareribs
salt and pepper to taste
1-27 oz. can sauerkraut, drained
2 unpeeled apples, sliced
2 tbsps. brown sugar
2 tsps. caraway seeds, optional
salt and pepper
Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Brown in a large Dutch oven casserole. Remove ribs and set aside. Drain off fat.
Mix sauerkraut, apples, sugar and caraway seeds in the Dutch oven. Place ribs meat side up over the sauerkraut mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 300 degrees F for four hours or at 325 degrees F for two hours.
Joyce Walter can be reached at [email protected]
