Ina Garten, cookbook author and Food Network TV host, turns beef stew into the ultimate comfort food in her cookbook “Modern Comfort Food” (Clarkson Potter). She includes the usual vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, carrots, and peas, but boosts the flavor by including fennel as well. Instead of using the traditional beef chuck, she ups the game by showcasing chunks of boneless short ribs.
The saucy base of diced tomatoes, beef broth, and a little tomato paste is spiked with full-bodied red wine and Cognac or brandy. Delicious.
Yes, it takes time to simmer its way to perfection in the oven. Make it on a day that you plan to be at home and fill the house with homey aromas. If made ahead, reheat over medium-low heat, adding a little more beef broth and a splash of red wine.
Ina’s Ultimate Beef Stew
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces small-diced pancetta
3 pounds boneless short ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (4 1/2 pounds on the bone), divided use
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup hearty red wine, such as Chianti or Cotes du Rhone, divided use
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
2 cups chopped fennel, trimmed, cored (1 large bulb)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes including juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and cut 1/2 inch thick diagonally
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice; see cook’s notes
10 ounces frozen peas
Cook’s notes: I often substitute Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes and cut each in half.
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large (11 to 12-inch) Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, season the short ribs all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Brown half of the meat in the Dutch oven over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to a bowl and brown the second batch. (Don’t cook them all in one batch or they won’t brown). Transfer the second batch to the bowl and set aside.
3. Off the heat, add Cognac and 1/3 cup wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then simmer over medium heat for one minute. Add onions and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook for one minute more.
4. Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into the vegetables. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and juices), 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and bake for 1 1/4 hours, checking occasionally to be sure the liquid is simmering.
5. Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in the carrots and potatoes, cover, and bake for one hour longer, until the vegetables and meat are very tender when tested with a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas and pancetta, taste for seasoning, and serve hot in shallow bowls.
Source: “Modern Comfort Food” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter)
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.
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