Beef Stew a la Spain
Here’s another recipe from the book “Falling Off the Bone” that I wrote about Feb. 16.
It’s a basic beef stew, with a couple of twists, notably the flavorings of orange zest and cinnamon.
The cinnamon and orange go particularly well with the bacon accent. And instead of potatoes, this has white beans.
I love white beans, so I doubled the amount when I made this last weekend.
Cooking this in the oven provides even heat, and eliminates the need to watch it and stir it.
Beef Catalan
Makes 6 servings.
6 slices hickory-smoked bacon, snipped crosswise at ½-inch intervals
3 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 large Spanish onions, halved lengthwise and each half slices ¼ inch thick
6 large garlic cloves, smashed and skins removed
2 large whole bay leaves, preferably fresh, tied in cheesecloth with two 3-inch strips orange zest, a 2-inch cinnamon stick, 2 large sprigs fresh thyme, and 4 whole cloves (spice bag)
1 cup beef broth
1 14-.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 cup dry red wine, such as a Spanish Rioja or Portuguese wine from Douro Alentejo region
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
½ pound peeled baby carrots
1 19-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Saute bacon in a large heavy nonreactive Dutch oven over moderately high heat, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed, until fat is rendered and only brown bits remain, 8 to10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop bacon onto paper towels and reserve.
3. Drain all drippings from pot, stir 4 tablespoons back I, and heat until ripples appear on pan bottom, 1½ to 2 minutes. Brown beef in several batches in drippings, allowing 8 to 10 minutes for each batch and lifting each to a bowl as it browns.
4. Add onions to pot and sauté, stiring often, intil limp and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 mminutes. Retun beef to pot along with accumulated juices. Add garlic, spice bag, broth, tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper. Gently wring spice bag to release flavors as you drop it in. Bring to a boil.
5. Transfer to middle oven shelf, cover and simmer 2 hours. Check after 1 hour or so and if juices seem skimpy – they shouldn’t if the lid is snug – add a little water.
6. Add carrots, pushing down into the liquid. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add beans, cover and simmer 20 minutes more. Discard spice bag, taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
7. Sprinkle with parsley and reserved bacon, ladle onto large, heated dinner plates, and serve with sturdy yeast bread.
Recipe from “Falling Off the Bone” by Jean Anderson (Wiley, 2010).
