#but it's hot out and I don't have the ingredients for a rich delicious soup | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dinneratsheilas · 3 months

Text

Beef Stew with Carrots, Potatoes, and Mushrooms

There's nothing better than a bowl of beef stew on a cold, rainy day, so it is the reason I decided to make this delicious stew one day last week.

I have made Ina Garten's Boeuf Bourguinon many times, and it is fabulous, but does require more ingredients, prep and time. Recently I've begun making it with boneless short ribs instead of beef chuck roast, and I have to say it is even more delicious as the beef is extraordinarily tender.

However, I started looking online for a simple beef stew made with chuck roast, and I settled on this one. Turned out to be a delicious choice.

The recipe calls for potatoes and carrots which I had, but I also added sauteed mushrooms. It doesn't use as much red wine, nor does it use the Cognac which are in Ina's Boeuf Bourguinon.

There is red wine, beef broth, herbs, and what really caught my attention when reading the recipe, the addition of balsamic vinegar.

I believe the balsamic vinegar really added to the rich flavor of the abundant sauce. And there's plenty of sauce to sop up with a hunk of good bread!

As with all stews it even gets better a day or two after so I don't think anyone would complain being served a bowl of this again the next day. Here's your recipe...

Beef Stew with Carrots, Potatoes, and Mushrooms (adapted from Beef Stew with Carrots and Potatoes, Once Upon a Chef, Jenn Segal)

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1and1/2-inch pieces

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions cut into 1-inch chunks

7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 and 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups dry red wine

2 cups beef broth

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 and1/2 teaspoons sugar

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks on a diagonal

1 pound small white or yellow boiling potatoes, cleaned, peeled or unpeeled, and cut in half

3/4 to 1 pound fresh large, white button mushrooms, or baby bella mushrooms, which you previously sliced and sauteed in some olive oil and butter just til golden.

Fresh chopped parsley for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and set a rack in the lower middle position.

Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.

Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.)

Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.

Add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.

Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with the wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for about 2 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots, potatoes, and sauteed mushrooms. Cover and place back in the oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender.

Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Serve the stew warm, or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve.

Note: if you refrigerate for several hours or overnight you will easily be able to skim all the fat which has risen to the top, and hardened, off with a large spoon or knife.

This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley.

To Freeze: the stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.

#dinner #beef #comfort food

1 note · View note

40sandfabulousaf · 1 year

Text

大家好! Pa's curiosity was piqued when I shared how delicate anago flesh was. We headed to the restaurant where I first had it, but they ran out and we ended up having unagi. So when I came across a little diner that served anago and salmon belly donburi, I brought him there to try it. Because Pa's on a strict medical diet, I took half his salmon belly in exchange for half my anago.

Pa raved about how tender the eel was and he enjoyed every mouthful. Since salmon belly is very rich in oil, I followed up with a qing (less oil) meal - yong tau foo soup and rice. Protein was in the form of a hardboiled egg, tofu and slivers of fish cake stuffed into brinjal and okra. Why yong tau foo is considered moderately healthy: the selected items are blanched till just cooked before sauces, gravy or hot soup are ladled over them. This preserves vital nutrients, veggies remain crunchy and very little oil goes into the dish, especially if we choose clear broth instead of sauces or gravy.

How I ate qing when having hua dan xia ren fan (scrambled egg shrimp rice): skipping braised gravy which is usually ladled over everything. The gravy, which contains oil, is delicious, but I wanted to get rid of that jelak (saturated, full, bloated) feeling after consuming too much oil from the salmon belly. This made the dish even yummier; I tasted the freshness of the shrimp and veggies as well as the eggy fragrance of the runny scramble. I'll skip the braised gravy next time I need a qing meal. This is what our nutritionists and dietitians recommend in order for us to eat healthier anyway.

This week, I tried Korean non-spicy seafood and tofu soup with rice and kimchi when I ate with JL, Jas and WH. The clear broth, which I find tastier than kimchi jjigae, came with golden mushrooms and shredded carrots. Those of us who rely on white rice as a staple carbohydrate, including Grace and Douglas, scoff at 'experts' demonising it. They hype up 'whole grain bread and pasta' and yet their populations experience more heart attacks, hypertension and diabetes than ours, at younger ages too; what gives? Their populations have to resort to long term medications like Wegovny and Ozempic but eh hem, many of us in this region don't?

The healthiest food for these 'experts' as far as we're concerned: humble pie. Without studies conducted on our food, who are they to say that ours is less healthy? The health statistics don't lie (unless they're manipulated); if our veggies, our mushrooms, our fish and the way we eat is inferior, we wouldn't have superior results today as a population, health-wise. Perhaps it's time for us to start questioning ourselves whether certain studies are truly reliable. 下次见！

0 notes

tastysubstitutions · 2 years

Text

Substitute for dark chocolate you can try as an alternative!

Chocolate is delicious. There's no doubt about that! But did you know there are many different types of chocolate out there? Dark chocolate is perhaps the most popular type of this treat, but it's not for everyone. If you are interested in tasty substitute read more posts on our site. If you're looking for other options, here are some great substitutes for dark chocolate:

Cacao nibs.

Cacao nibs are raw, more textural than chocolate, and can be eaten as a snack. They have a crunchy texture, which is what makes them an excellent alternative to dark chocolate.

Cacao nibs are made from the seeds of the cocoa tree and they contain antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage by free radicals. They can be used in baking or added to smoothies for a boost of energy!

Cocoa powder.

Cocoa powder is made from ground cocoa beans, which are the seeds of a tropical tree. Cocoa beans are rich in antioxidants and contain flavonoids, which may reduce blood pressure and help protect against heart disease. They also contain fiber and magnesium, which can help lower blood pressure.

Cocoa powder can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, or other hot breakfast cereals for added flavor and nutrients. It can also be used in baked goods like brownies or cookies. Cocoa powder is available at most grocery stores or online at sites such as Amazon (link).

Baking chocolate.

Baking chocolate, also called unsweetened baking chocolate, is made from cocoa solids and sugar. It's a good alternative to dark chocolate if you're looking to cut back on sugar or dairy products.

Baking chocolates are not as sweet as dark chocolates, but they still have the rich flavor of cocoa. They're also not as bitter as dark chocolates—the bitterness in this type comes from the higher percentage of cacao solids, which are removed when making white chocolate. Because of these differences in taste and texture from other types of chocolate like milk or white, baking chocolate is ideal for people who want an ingredient that will add depth without sweetness or bitterness to their recipes (like brownies).

Pure cocoa liquor.

What is cocoa liquor?

Cocoa liquor is the non-fat part of the cacao bean that has been separated from its fat and sugar. It's basically pure chocolate—the base of any chocolate product. The cocoa butter can be extracted from this liquor, leaving behind just a dark brown powder with a strong aroma, which you may have noticed when you've opened up some foil-wrapped bars or other products.

How do I use it?

You can put cocoa liquor in your coffee or hot chocolate instead of milk if you want an extra boost of dark chocolate flavor (and we all know how good coffee/hot chocolate tastes with melted marshmallows on top). You could also make homemade hot chocolate by adding half a cup of water plus sugar and spices until dissolved, then adding in two tablespoons of cocoa powder along with some melted butter for creaminess before heating it all up together on medium heat until the desired temperature is reached! If you're looking for something sweet but don't want to add anything else into your recipes like milk or white sugar which would dilute out those lovely bitter notes from having too much liquid added. Just add 2 tbsp water + 2 tablespoons honey then stir well until fully dissolved into the solution - voila! A healthier alternative without losing any flavor at all :)

How long does it last?

For best results keep refrigerated after opening the container; however, if kept at room temperature before being used (up to several days) there should not be any adverse effects seen upon consuming these products unless someone has an allergy/intolerance level higher than what was considered healthy levels before consuming; which would cause symptoms similar to eating very strongly flavored foods such as garlic which contain high amounts pungent oils released upon crushing garlic cloves between fingers while preparing soups/salads etcetera because they contain such high levels that most people cannot tolerate eating raw cloves without experiencing negative repercussions afterward such as sweating excessively due to increased heart rate caused by nerves

White chocolate.

If you're a fan of white chocolate, there are some ways to incorporate it into your diet. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter and milk solids, as well as sugar. Although it has fewer antioxidants than dark chocolate, it does contain small amounts of magnesium and zinc. In addition to its health benefits, white chocolate also offers a sweet flavor that can be used as an alternative for recipes calling for dark chocolate. However, since white chocolate is not as healthy or flavorful as dark chocolate (or other types of candy), you might want to try one of these substitutes before making the switch:

Milk Chocolate

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Baking Chocolate

Conclusion

So now you have all the options! We hope that you’re ready to go out there and try some new things in the kitchen, or at least have a better idea of what dark chocolate is and why it’s so delicious. Even if you don’t use any of these substitutions, they can help make your baking experience more fun by introducing new flavors into your regular routine!

#Substitute for dark chocolate you can try as an alternative!#chocolate

0 notes