Another Look at African Craved Beef Stew

Another morning spent re-organizing my recipe collection in Yumprint – this time re-categorizing the Beef Cookbook. While I had given considerable thought to creating subcategories for the types of beef used, I decided against that. I don’t know about you, but I rarely wake up in the morning craving a particular cut of meat but rather find myself in a French or Mexican mood.

In any case, I found an old favorite – African Craved Beef Stew. While this is a recipe I shared way back in March 2014 (for me, that just a few months into venturing out into the brave new world of blogging), I thought this wonderful stew was worth a second look.

Years ago, I had discovered the recipe while surfing the net for some much-needed inspiration. When the time came to share this stew dish with you, I wanted to give credit where credit is due. Try as I might, I could not find the original source of my recipe. While Portuguesecooking.com has a very similar recipe, the whimsical tale regarding the origins for this stew were missing.

If memory serves me well (and most of the time it doesn’t), there was some debate over the true origins of this stew. It is considered to be a Peasant Food – and like most Peasant dishes, the origins are almost impossible to trace.

Some claim it is actually a Portuguese Stew with an African influence, while others hold to the assertion that it is the other way around – that Portuguese settlers to Africa influenced a stew that was already there.   That said, no one will really know if this stew is truly an African or Portuguese concoction. What we do know is that Portuguese is spoken in many parts of African; and Portugal has had an influence on the continent since the 15th century.  It is this blending of Portuguese and African traditional that has given birth to many dishes over the century. Regardless, variations of this stew can be found in the street side cafés of South Africa as well as Portugal. It is meant to be spicy, topped with fried potatoes and bread for soaking up all the wonderful juices.

While most beef stews call for hunks of stew meat, my take on this dish uses a flavorful Tri-Tip Roast. I’ve replaced the fried potatoes with oven-baked French Fries. While the French Fries remain loyal to their fried potato cousins, by baking the fries in the oven it makes this dish easier to execute without adding additional oils.

Just a little side note before we get to cooking . . . the first time I made this stew, Hubby flipped. He could not believe that I had taken a nice Tri-Tip Roast and threw it into a stew. Give it a try, I insisted. One bite and he understood the use of Tri-Tip. The flavor of hunks of Tri-Tip in a stew is delicious!

African Craved Beef Stew with Fries & Crusty Bread
2 tablespoons spoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pound Tri-Tip Roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups coarsely chopped Spanish or yellow onions
3 or 4 small hot chili peppers, stemmed and chopped (retain the seeds for added heat)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaf
2 cups red wine
1/2 Cup Beef Stock
18 to 24 Green Olives, pitted
1/4 cup flour mixed with 1/4 cup beef stock
coarse salt & fresh ground black pepper as needed
French Fries (thick Steak Fries work best)
Crusty Bread for dunking

Peel and chop Onion. Set aside.

Stem and chop chili peppers, retaining seeds for additional “heat” to the dish. Set aside.

Peel and smash garlic. (I’ve seen cooks “smash” the garlic with the side of a knife.  Personally, I like to whack it with a small crafting hammer.  It’s more fun!) Set aside.

Trim the tri-tip of most of the excess fat, retaining some of the fat for added flavor.  Cut the tri-tip into 1-inch cubes. 

In a heavy bottom Dutch-oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the oil. Do not let the butter reach its smoking point. (Adjust heat if necessary). Working in small batches, brown the cubes on beef on all sides and transfer to a plate or bowl to hold.

Toss the onions into the pan drippings and sauté until lightly golden to bring out the flavor of the onions. Add the  hot chili peppers to your liking, along with the garlic and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute until it becomes aromatic.

Return the meat to the pot, along with the olives. Pour in the wine or and beef stock (not broth) so that it just comes over the meat about an inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for about an hour, checking liquid to make sure the meat is fully submerged.

After an about an hour; taste the sauce and season with a little salt and pepper. (Be sure to taste the sauce prior to adding salt as the olives will add a salty-flavor).  Continue to simmer for about 15 minutes longer to allow the salt to do its thing.  (Salt breaks down the proteins in meat, helping it to become more tender).

Mix the flour with a little beef stock to create a slurry and stir into the pan. Cover and continue to simmer for until the meat is very tender, checking every 15 minutes or so for tenderness. (About 30-45 minutes longer will do the trick). Once tender, keep the stew warm until ready to serve.

Make a large batch of oven-baked French Fries.  Thick steak fries or long seasoned fries work best. Note: Curly fries or skinny fries are less desirable as they will fall apart in the stew.

Once the fries are done, ladle the stew into serving bowls.  Top with a generous handful of warm fries.  Serve with a thick slice crusty bread for dipping. DO NOT WARM BREAD – soft bread is best for soaking up all the juices.

French Beef Stew with Red Wine over Mashed Potatoes

What sets this French Beef Stew served over mashed potatoes apart from all the others? The wine – an entire bottle of your favorite wine! (And by that I don’t mean your favorite cooking wine, but the stuff you like to sip by the glassful). The whole house will smell like a winery as the stew simmers on the stove top. When selecting which red wine to use, keep in mind different wines will yield a different flavor – a sweeter red wine will render a sweeter stew, a deep red wine will produce a deep, rich broth. Since this stew relies on an entire bottle of red wine for its broth, make sure it’s one you truly enjoy. If you aren’t a fan of strong red wine flavors (and let me tell you this stew will pack one heck of a wine punch), you can cut back on the wine while adding beef stock to make up the difference. Don’t abandon the wine completely, as it is an important component to the overall flavor of the stew.

Just before serving, be sure to taste the stew and add salt just a pinch more if needed. Remember, the green olives will bring a salty flavor to the finished dish, so tasting at the end is important.

French Beef Stew with Red Wine
2 lb stew beef
Sea Salt, slightly coarse (but only a pinch)
White Pepper (lightly)
1 bottle of your favorite Red Wine
2 sprigs fresh thyme, more for garnish if desired
2 bay leaves
1 Cup Baby Carrots
1 orange, peeled and broken into natural segments
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 6-oz can tomato paste (10 tablespoons if using from a tube)
1/2 cup green olives, optional

Season meat with salt and pepper and set aside. Go lightly with the white pepper, it is a much finer grade than black pepper. You can always add a pinch or two more at the end, but you can never take back too much pepper.

Pour wine into a resealable bag or large marinating container. Add thyme, bay leaves, carrots, orange segments, onion rings and garlic. Mix well. If using a bag (my preferred method only because the bag can lay flat in the refrigerator), give the sealed bag a few good shakes. Place stew meat in same container as your wine marinade and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to cook, heat olive oil in a large stock pot. Use just enough oil to lightly coat pot to prevent the meat from sticking. Using tongs, remove stew meat from bag and brown in hot oil, turning as needed to brown on all sides. DO NOT strain wine marinade. Pour contents of bag over browned stew meat and bring to a boil. Gently boil for about 5-8 minutes. Lower the heat to a simmer and add tomato paste. Stir well. Cover, and let simmer on low heat for about 2 or 3 hours, until meat is fork-tender.

Add olives (if using) and let stew simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes to thicken, creating a rich, flavorful reduced wine “gravy”.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
8 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
salt to taste
8 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup half & half,  warmed

Place cubed potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water, salt liberally, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil potatoes for about 10-15 minutes until they are fork-tender. Keep an eye on the potatoes as they boil to make sure they don’t boil over. If necessary, skim the top of the pot to remove any excessive “foam”.

Drain potatoes, then return to the sauce pan and “dry” them over low heat. Add garlic and warmed half & half. Heat until garlic is fragrant and cream begins to simmer.

Transfer to the large bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whip. Whip potatoes until completely smooth.

Ladle potatoes into bowls or rimmed plates. Ladle stew over potatoes. Garnish each serving with a sprig of thyme for added color, if desired.

Serve and enjoy. As with most stews, warm French bread is a great addition to lap up all the wonderful juices.

Crock Pot Irish Stew

If this stew contained Lamb, I would say it is a typical Irish Stew. However; if this stew contained Lamb I would be dining alone – or almost alone. Kiddo doesn’t mind Lamb. At Celtic Fairs, we gravitate to some of the vendors peddling Lamb meat. Lamb kabobs are some of my favorite. Kiddo has to be in the mood. And Hubby – well he would rather starve. There is nothing shy about the flavor of Lamb. Can you tell? It crossed my mind to substitute the cubes of beef for lamb, but I knew I would never get away with it.

Years ago, our Jewish neighbors brought over a lamb bone for our dog. It was a nice gesture. However; the dog went nuts. She began to howl and bark at the bone, every hair in her body standing on edge. Hubby thought maybe the bone needed to be cooked. He fired up our gas grill and placed the bone over the flames. As the bone began to brown, the dog became even more frightened, hiding at the far end of the yard and barking like crazy. We threw the bone away. She went to the trash can, sniffed around it and actually pushed the can just to make sure the bone wasn’t going to come out and get her. The dog spend the rest of the night hiding in the house. Every now and again, she raised her head, let out a yelp and listened. We haven’t had lamb in the house since.

I’ve jabbered away before about my Irish roots. I’ve always identified myself emotionally as an Irish Catholic – with very strong feelings on the subject. It was only recently that my brain clicked. I’m not part of a long line of Irish Catholics, despite my strong and stubborn feelings on the matter. Oh, I am Irish – my dad is Irish. His dad was Irish. However; Grandpa wasn’t Catholic. He was a preacher  – and Dad was raised Protestant. Dad converted to the Catholic Church as a young man. None of his brothers did. That meant my cousins on Dad’s side are all Irish Protestants. I am (and proudly so) first generation Irish Catholic. As a first generation, I have a responsibility of sorts – which might explain my deep love of both my Catholic faith and Irish roots.

Kiddo has been put in charge of a great deal of the cooking lately. I’m oh so grateful because there have been a few nights when I was just too pooped to even think about cooking. To show my gratitude, I’ve been selecting recipes that are very basic, simple. When I stumbled upon this recipe for Irish Stew, it was a no-brainier.  Chop a few vegetables, rinse the barley, add with seasoning and stew meat to a pot and walk away. No tending, no fuss – could not get much more simple than this. And what a stew! Thick, beefy broth. Plenty of veggies. Wow – we’ve found a new stew for the cold winter nights ahead!

Crock Pot Irish Stew
1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew beef, cubed
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups carrot slices (cut into about 1/2 inch pieces)
1 cups celery slices (cut into about 1/2 inch pieces)
1 cup onion slices (cut into about 1/2 inch pieces)
3/4 cup pearl barley (rinsed and drained)
5 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

Mix well. Cover and cook over LOW heat for 7 1/2 to 8 hours.

All-American Beef Stew in Sourdough Bowls

Let me start by saying sorry, no step by step pictures. While I am not a football fan, the Dallas-Green Bay playoff game was a real nail-biter.  Even this non-football fan (I barely understand the game) was screaming. Let’s just say it’s amazing the stew made it into the pot between commercial breaks.

Hubby has been in the mood for old-fashioned, simple comfort foods lately. While he says he loves just about everything that comes out of the kitchen, he was longing for a few childhood memories of his own. So tonight we are having a very straight-forward, basic All-American Beef Stew. Meat, potatoes, carrots and peas with a handful of pearl onions all cooked up in a rich beef broth. Okay – I did sneak in a splash of red wine simply because I could not resist.

All-American Beef Stew in Sour Dough Bowls
3-4 Carrots, peeled and sliced
4-6 Medium size Potatoes, peeled and quartered
4-5 tablespoons flour
1 Teaspoon Onion Flakes
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 lbs Stew Meat
2 Can Beef Broth
1 Splash (or so) Red wine
Handful (about 8-10) Pearl Onions, blanched
1 Package Frozen Baby Peas in butter
Small Sour Dough Bread Bowls (1 per person) or large Sour Dough Rounds (for presentation)

In a pot of boiling water, blanch pearl onions. Pluck from water, allow to cool, then remove skin.

Peel and coin cut carrots. Set aside. Peel and quarter potatoes, place in a bowl of cold water until ready to use.

Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.

Place flour, onion flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper into a large, resealable plastic bag. Place about ¼ to ½ of the stew meat into the bag with the seasoned flour and shake to coat meat.

Place coated meat in batches into dutch oven and brown on all sides, removing as necessary and adding more flour-covered meat until all the meat has been browned, about 10-15 minutes.

Return all the stew meat to the dutch oven. Add carrots, potatoes, beef broth to cover stew with about 1-2 inches of liquid. Bring to a full boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until carrots and meat are tender and potatoes are cooked through yet firm.

Add frozen peas, return to a slow boil and cook until peas are hot, about 20 minutes longer.

While peas are warming, hollow out bread bowls and set aside.

When peas are hot, ladle stew into hollowed bowls and serve with bread pieces on the side.

Alternative, serve in soup bowls with sliced Sour Dough bread on the side.

Note: Stew can be made in a crock pot. Brown meat as above. Add liquid, bring to a boil. CAREFULLY transfer stew to crock pot. Add peas and cook on LOW for about 8 hours or HIGH for about 4 hours.

Freezer Friendly Meals – The Perfect Gift for Busy Caregivers

Normally I don’t post recipes that I haven’t tried – it doesn’t seem like an honest commentary. However; while the recipes I am about to share were prepared in my kitchen with the help of my sisters, they aren’t for us to enjoy.  These are freezer friendly meals designed to be made in well in advance of serving.  Think of them as the perfect gift  for a busy family,  a new mother or, in our case, to help ease the stress of a family caregiver.  These nifty meals are designed for the crock-pot or microwave, providing a flavorful supper with little or no fuss for the recipient.

Just a quick story as to why my sisters and I took on the project of making a “caregivers care package”.  Dad hasn’t been well lately.  It’s been a scary time in our family as our beloved Father has been in and out of the brain trauma hospitals and rehab centers this past month.  I’m not going share a lot of personal information here except to say that his wife, Sue, has been on one heck of a roller-coaster ride.  She has spent more time in the hospitals and centers than she has at home.  (“Home” for them is a small farm in the country – so even the simplest errand involves a trip to town).  With Dad’s health issues, Sue hasn’t had the time nor energy to run to the grocery store. The freezers, pantry and refrigerators were looking pretty bare.  And even if they had been bursting at the seams with supplies, who had time to cook a decent meal?  Such is the life of caregivers – so often too busy caring for others that they forget to care for themselves – failing to take the time to eat properly, or to rest and recharge.

Now that Dad is home again, Sue has her hands full with his care, dealing with the in-home physical therapy and countless followup visits with an army of specialists. My sisters and I decided the best way we could help Sue care for our dad would be to make the meal preparation as easy as possible for her.  So it was with that goal in mind that we spent a Saturday creating zip lock bags of crock-pot friendly dinners.

My sister, Linda, did the research.  She then sent my sister Anne and I a few great ideas via Pinterest (Freezer Crock-pot recipes she found at lovingmynest.com). From there, we held a planning committee meeting and narrowed down our selection to four recipes from the Pinterest site.  We also elected to make up two more meal recipes on our own to add to the mix.  (Dad loves Chinese food, Sue doesn’t.  So in addition to the zip lock crock-pot dinners, we made some pasta and rice bowls that could be popped in the microwave.  Italian for Sue, Chinese for Dad, so everyone is happily fed).

These recipes were super easy to prepare.  Let me tell you, if Sue’s reaction is typical, these make greatly appreciated gifts for the overwhelmed caregivers in your life.  And it was such fun for me to spend the day with my wonderful sisters, shopping, chopping and freezing the day away.  It was reminiscent of when we still all lived at home.  Dad would have a family meeting of sorts (daughters only) – to work out the details of the week’s menu plan.  Each of us chose a meal to prepare, but often we worked together because it was so much more fun that way.  Aren’t sisters great?

When it came to our caregivers care packages, what seemed to work best for us was to do all the chopping at once – each of us taking a different vegetable to chop.  The chopped vegetables were then divided into the appropriate bags according to recipe.

Oh, and one more thing – label your bags with the recipe’s name and cooking instructions BEFORE filling.  That way everyone helping knows what goes into which bag and it makes life so much easier for the person on the receiving end.

Bean Stew
1 Cup Dry Beans, picked over and rinsed (we used Red Kidney Beans)
2 Medium Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Small Onion, chopped
3 tablespoons uncooked rice (we used long-grain white rice)
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1 Pinch ground white or black pepper
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (add to crock pot when cooking)

Combine ingredients in a gallon zip lock bag (minus the broth). Remove as much air as possible from bag, lay flat and freeze. When ready to make, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Empty contents of bag into crock pot and pour broth over mixture. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serving: 4-5

Meat Stew
2 lbs Stew Meat (beef, pork, whatever is on sale), cut into cubes
2 Onions, chopped
5 Carrots, sliced
3 Zucchini, sliced
2 Celery stalks, chopped
6 small Baby Potatoes, washed and cut in half
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 Can (14 oz) Tomatoes
1 Can (8 oz) Tomato Sauce

Put all ingredients in a large zip lock bag and freeze. Thaw bag, add contents to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

Serving: 5-6

Pork & Veggies
1 lb Pork Roast or Tenderloin, cut into ½ inch strips
1 Onion, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
4 Carrots, sliced
½ lb Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
1 Can (8 oz) Tomato Sauce
1 ½ Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large zip lock bag, freeze. Thaw contents of bag, place in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Servings: 5-6

Creamy Farmhouse Chicken & Garden Soup
½ Package (16 oz) Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Cup Frozen Corn
1 Zucchini, sliced
2 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup Frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley flakes
2 tablespoons butter, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 Can (14 oz) Chicken Broth
1 Cup Half-and-half
3 Cups Prepared Noodles (Any Style to create noodle soup)

Place all the ingredients EXCEPT broth, milk and noodles in a zip lock bag. Freeze bag until ready to cook. Thaw, place in the crock pot. Add broth and milk. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Just before serving, add 3 cups of prepared noodles and stir.

Serving: 7-8

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls
1 ½ Cups Cooked Chicken (Costco Rotisserie Cooked Breast meat works well)
3 Cups Cooked Long Grain White Rice
1 ½ Cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower – whatever blend you like)
1 Bottle Teriyaki Glaze (or home made)

Steam rice and allow to cool to room temperature. Divide rice between 3 freezer-proof bowls with fitted lids. Divide chicken among bowls. Top chicken with vegetables. Pour glaze over vegetables, toss to blend. Seal bowls and freeze. Warm in microwave, about 6-8 minutes, stirring mid-way through.

Lasagna- Ravioli
1 large package Ravioli (desired filling)
1 Jar Marinara Sauce
2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Par-boil Ravioli, about 2 minutes. Drain and let cool. Divide ravioli between three containers. In each container, layer ravioli, sauce, cheese, repeat with 2nd layer, ending with cheese. Cover and freeze. To serve, either transfer to oven-proof container and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes until heated through, warm and bubbling or place in microwave for 6-8 minutes, until heated through.