I was trying to think of a spring recipe to repost today that would highlight a seasonal vegetable, but instead decided to use a summer recipe that could highlight all of them.
That’s right, this summery sausage stew is absolutely perfect for enjoying any and all of those spring veggies you’ll be seeing at the farmers market. Baby carrots, English peas, new potatoes, and other tender, green offerings will shine alongside your favorite sausage in this easy stew. Click here to read the original post. Enjoy!
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that corned beef and cabbage is not authentic St. Patrick’s Day food. It wasn’t until Irish immigrants, fleeing the great potato famine, arrived in New York, and started hanging out in delicatessens that brisket became the cabbage-adjacent meat of choice.
I assume it was the potato knishes’ siren song that initially drew them in, but eventually they got hooked on the corned beef, and the rest is history. So, I decided to do a little mash-up (and mash-under), and this Irish pork stew with baby cabbage was the result. By the way, “baby cabbage” can be a little hard to find, but you can use Brussels sprouts, and no one will know the difference…mostly because there isn’t one.
You can cook them in the stew if you want, but the timing can be tricky, and trust me, you don’t want to eat “baby cabbage” that’s been cooked too long; no one does, So, I highly recommend blanching them first, and warming through at the end.
Since we are using Guinness, I will admit this isn’t a beginner’s stew. The stout gives a ton of flavor, but also a slightly bitter note, which some people do not enjoy. I balanced it with the balsamic vinegar and caraway seed, and it was absolutely wonderful, but I think it’s worth mentioning.
You can leave it out, use a lighter beer, or just splash in some extra stock. Anyway, if you’re looking for beautiful alternative to that traditional “authentic” St. Patrick’s Day meal, then I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 portions Irish Pork Stew:
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
2 generous tbsp flour
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon caraway seed
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Draft or other dark beer
3 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth, more as needed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 12 Brussels sprouts, halved, blanched
For some arbitrary reason, March is National Peanut Month, and to help kick it off, here are a couple of video recipes that feature this great American legume. You can’t beat a warm stew on a cold night, and they don’t get much warmer than red beef curry. The peanuts may seem like a minor player, but they make the dish.
If you want your peanuts more liquid than solid, then by all means, check out this great, and very easy satay dipping sauce. You seriously can’t run out of things to stick in there.
I hope you give them a try soon, and here’s wishing you a happy and safe National Peanut Month. Click on the titles if you want to read the original post, and see the ingredients. Enjoy!
This comforting pork stew recipe is exactly the kind of homey dish you want waiting for you after a long, hard week…and maybe a 13-hour drive. Unfortunately, I made this last week, so I couldn’t actually enjoy it today, after a long, hard week and 13-hour drive, but just editing it made me feel better. It was that good.
This stew version is inspired by the classic Italian recipe, “maiale al latte,” or “pork in milk,” but instead of the usual moo juice, I decided to make my own with chicken broth and crème fraiche. I figured I’d get the same basic viscosity and fat content (okay, maybe a tad more), but also a little more flavor, and a better texture once reduced.
I topped it with some fried sage, which is an optional, messy, but delicious extra step, and makes this much more restauranty. Simply heat a 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a small pan, and toss in some (not wet!) whole sage leaves. Fry until crisp, about 10-15 seconds
The classic preparation involves braising and slicing a whole roast, but one taste and I think you’ll agree it translates beautifully to the stew delivery system. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
1 1/2 pound pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch cubes (note: I only had 1 pound, but the recipe will work with another half, which will make four nice portions)
One of the sadder side effects of the American culinary renaissance we’ve enjoyed over the last thirty or forty years, has been the chronic under-cooking of green vegetables. Sure, there was a time when we cooked everything too long, but now, if it’s not bright green and still crispy, it’s considered ruined.
That’s why every once and a while you have to enjoy something like these slow-cooked, southern-style green beans. These beans are cooked forever in a bacon-spiked, aromatic broth, and when they’re finally done, you’re almost shocked at how good they are. It seems so wrong, yet tastes so right.
I think two hours is perfect, but if your beans are fatter/thinner, you’ll have to adjust the time. What you’re looking for is something that literally melts in your mouth. Vibrant, quickly blanched green beans are many things, but “melt in your mouth” isn’t one of them. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 portions: 2 pounds green beans, trimmed 1 handful sliced bacon (6 oz)
This simple squash and sausage stew represents my idea of the perfect summer supper. It’s very comforting, relatively fast, wonderfully flavorful, and helps solve a problem that’s existed since neighbors started planting gardens; what to do with all that squash.
If you’ve ever planted squash, you know that there’s no stopping this force of nature once it starts producing. Just a single row of plants will yield enough for you, your immediate family, your extended family, your secret second family, your neighbors, traveling salesmen, and anyone else who happens to cross your path.
Far from simply hiding the humble vegetable, this recipe lets the squash be the star. As long as you follow my pleas to let everything get nice and soft and tender, a very fine bowl of food awaits you and your crusty hunk of bread. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound Andouille sausage, or other spicy, smoked sausage
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth, or as needed
2 pounds summer squash, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut in 2-inch chunks 1/2 cup diced green pepper
While I’ve never been a huge fan of drinking Guinness, I’ve always been a great admirer of how wonderfully it can elevate a simple beef stew. The subtle bitterness from the hops, and toastiness from the malt, gives the gravy a depth of flavor that I really love.
Besides, you only need one can for this St. Patrick's Day-inspired stew, and since they’re sold in 4-can packs…well, you can do the math. This would normally be the point in post where I’d make my annual Irish drinking joke, but I’m not doing one this year.
Not only is it inappropriate, but it’s culturally insensitive, and I’d like to think I’ve matured past the point of going for such cheap laughs. Besides, my Irish joke writer, Paddy O'Sullivan, was on a binge this week, so I never got one from him anyway. Oh well, like I said, probably for the best.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a gorgeous and incredibly delicious Irish stew recipe for your St. Patrick's Day menu, this one comes highly recommended. I served mine with some green onion mashed potatoes, and while I usually encourage you to serve things like this on whatever you want, not this time. You must serve this with some form of potato. And that is no joke. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large servings:
4 strips bacon, sliced into small pieces
2 1/2 lb. beef chuck, cut in 2-inch pieces (tossed with black pepper and at least 1 tsp salt)
2 onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.0-oz) Guinness beer, or other dark beer
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 ribs celery, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, or as needed
1 tsp sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups mashed potatoes, optional (not really)
- Simmer stew on very low heat, covered, for about 2 hours, or until fork tender
- Uncover, raise heat to med-high, and reduce, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens to your liking
When shopping, I like to take a quick peek at the end of the meat case where they sometimes have marked-down cuts that are past their prime. I usually stay away from the smaller, thinner pieces, as they tend to go bad faster, but once in a while I’ll find a big roast, like the one that inspired this delicious red beef curry; and as the old saying goes, the only thing better than a 3-pound chuck roast, is a half-priced, 3-pound chuck roast.
By the way, this “Reduced for Quick Sale” meat is generally fine taste and texture-wise, but the surface of the meat has oxidized, so it doesn’t look very appetizing. Other than that, it’s perfectly fine to use, especially in a slow-braised recipe like this.
I cooked mine on low, for about 7 or 8 hours, until it was fork tender, but if you’re in a hurry, you can do it on a higher setting. Conventional wisdom is that the longer slower method is superior, but in all honesty, I don’t think there's a huge difference, so suit yourself. No matter what setting you use, simply do not stop until the meat is tender.
Some of the most frustrating emails I get, are the ones that say, “I followed your braised-whatever recipe exactly, but the meat came out hard.” Actually, no you didn’t. Every time I give an approximate cooking time for something like this, I’ll always say, “or until fork tender.” So why would anyone stop cooking it while the meat is still hard? I find it as mystifying as I do annoying.
Anyway, assuming you don’t stop, won’t stop, until the meat is succulent, you are in for a real treat. Feel free to add any vegetables you like, and if you want, you can cook them separately and just add to the finished dish. I generally don’t serve this over rice if I use potatoes, but that's just my personal hang up, so don’t feel like you need to deny yourself that particular pleasure. I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 giant or 6 regular portions:
2 1/2 or 3 pound beef chuck roast
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 or 2 tsp red curry paste, or to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk 1 can (10-oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (or any diced tomato product)
3 tbsp Asian fish sauce, or to taste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves minced garlic
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
juice of one lime 2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pound small potatoes, halved
4 or 5 baby bok choy, sliced
1 rounded teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
You often hear people describe food as “sexy,” but I’ve always believed it’s really more the occasion and company that makes a meal sexy. Put your Valentine across a candlelit table, pour a couple glasses of wine, and no matter what you serve up, sexiness will ensue.
Having said that, it certainly doesn’t hurt to hedge your bets and serve up a naturally sensuous dish like this simple, but sophisticated fish stew. This is great for you less than confident cooks, since your timing doesn’t need to be that precise. Did I mention there’d be wine around?
You can actually do everything ahead, up until adding the fish if you want. Since the pieces will cook in between 5 and 10 minutes, when you’re ready to eat, simply bring the mixture to a boil, add the fish, and simmer until done. You can also hold the stew over very low heat for a good 15-20 minutes without major problems, in case, well, you know.
By the way, make sure you check and see if your dining partner likes fish and wine, as this would be a horrible choice if they don’t. If they do, you’re in business. Almost any type of fish or shellfish will work in this, as well as any small, cute potatoes. Just don’t forget to peel the middles, as it's kind of a big deal. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Many years ago, at a small neighborhood restaurant in San Francisco, a young cook got to do his very first menu “special.” It featured pulled chicken, Cajun sausage, and peppers stewed in a rich, spicy gravy; and was served over grilled French bread.
Not sure what to call it, the inexperienced, but handsome cook described it as a, “sort of Cajun ragout of chicken,” which made it on to the specials board as, “Cajun Chicken Ragu.”
Yes, I was that young cook, and the following recipe is pretty close to that historic dish. While I did enjoy it over the grilled bread back in the day, a gravy this awesome really deserves to be served over a big pile of rice. These are the kind of things you learn as you mature. That, and make sure you spell out your specials to the disinterested waiter writing the chalkboard.
Anyway, since I’m not going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (I’m allergic to feathers and drunk tourists), I thought I’d dust off this old, personal favorite, which while not totally authentic, certainly celebrates those fabulous Cajun/Creole flavors.
As I mentioned in the video, this works with any kind of chicken, raw or cooked. As long as you simmer the gravy to an appropriate thickness, and make sure your meats are fully cooked, and heated through, you should be in bon shape. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions of Cajun Chicken Ragu:
6 slices of bacon, cut in 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
large pinch of salt
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 cups cold chicken broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
8 oz andouille sausage, sliced
2 or 3 cups pulled chicken meat
1/4 cup chopped green onions, plus more to garnish
I’m not sure how authentic thisgoulash recipe is, since the recipe I use is adapted from one by Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck. Austria is Hungary-adjacent, and I’m pretty sure they were the same country once, but still, the Puckmeister’s version, further modified by me, is closer to a stew called "Pörkölt." Apparently true goulash, or Gulyás, is much more like a soup, and is served with dumplings.
Okay, two things. First, when it comes to a main course, I like stew more than soup. If you want to stay truer to the original, add more liquid. That’s not going to bother me, or Wolfgang. Also, since I operate in a universe ruled by Google, I went with “goulash” since it’s a thousand times more recognizable than pörkölt. When’s the last time you heard someone say they were craving a big bowl of pörkölt?
Of course, none of this helps my American viewers who, thanks to the cafeteria ladies from our childhoods, think “goulash” is a tomato, hamburger, and elbow macaroni casserole. I’m assuming that variation was born when some Hungarian (or Austrian?) immigrant tried to stretch the last few ladles of soup/stew into another full meal.
Anyway, now that we’ve cleared up absolutely nothing, I can talk about this gorgeous dish of food. I adore everything about this dish. The color is stunning, the beef is sticky and succulent, and paprika-based sauce is incredible.
By the way, I’ve heard from my people on YouTube that this is never served on noodles. How do you say, “whatever” in Hungarian? Despite our questionable naming, ingredients, and side dish, this made for a fantastic winter dinner, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 large portions of beef goulash:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes, seasoned generously with salt and pepper
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 cups chicken broth (1 to deglaze pan, 3 more added to stew) *Note: real goulash is more like a soup, so if you want yours thinner, just add 2 or 3 extra cups of broth.
We’ve posted about this before, but there’s a great, southern tradition of eating beans and greens on New Year’s Day to ensure good fortune in the coming year.
Apparently, by eating “poor” the first day of the year, you align certain cosmic forces in your favor, which results in prosperity and good luck the rest of the year.Sounds crazy, right? I know, you’re way too sophisticated to believe in such lame supernatural shenanigans. Hey wait a minute…don’t you watch all those ghost hunter shows on cable TV? Busted! Hey, did you hear that noise?
Anyway, whether you believe in this kind of culinary clairvoyance or not, this Brazilian feijoada is one of the world’s great stews. The traditional good luck bean is the black-eyed pea, but here we’re celebrating the delicious, and very nutritious, black bean.
I tried to be clear in the video that this is just my version, and not some attempt at true feijoada authenticity, whatever that is. As long as you have black beans, and LOTS of smoked, salted, dried, and/or cured meats, you are well on your way to some kind of feijoada-like awesomeness.
In case you’re wondering, all I did for the greens was boil some kale in salted water until tender, and then sauté briefly in olive oil and garlic. It pairs perfectly with the white rice and rich stew, and while I can’t guarantee a year’s worth of wealth and good luck, I can promise you a delicious bowl of food. Happy New Year to all of you, and as always, enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 portions: 1 pounds dry black beans, soaked overnight 2 quarts water, plus more as needed (add more whenever stew looks too dry) 1 bay leaf 2 smoked pork chops 12 oz linguica 8 oz Italian sausage 4 oz smoked bacon 3 oz dried beef 1 onion 6 cloves garlic 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp coriander salt and pepper to taste For the crumbs: 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp grated orange zest 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
Basic steps: - Soak beans overnight, add to pot with bay leaf, beef jerky, and any bones - Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beans are cooked, but very firm - Add onion mixture and meats, and simmer for another hour, or until beans are very soft - Add a splash of water at any point during the cooking if stew looks too dry - Test and add salt near the end, depending on saltiness of meat View the complete recipe
I love a hearty beef chili as much as the next guy, but once in a while there’s nothing wrong with going over to the light side, and enjoying an equally comforting bowl of white bean and chicken chili.I’ve always used thighs for my chicken chili, which of course have more fat and flavor, but after a bunch of requests for a chicken breast version, I decided give it a go, and I was very happy with the results.
The key is to not overcook the chicken when you sear it. You want it slightly undercooked, maybe about 150 degrees F. internal temp, since it will cook all the way when we add it back in. You’ll notice when I slice mine, there’s a little bit of opaqueness to the flesh, which is what you want.
This is intended to be a relatively quick and simple weeknight meal, so I didn’t add much in the way of extras, but things like peppers, squash, and mushrooms are always welcomed additions.
I know you’re probably missing those long, warm summer days right about now, but one of the great things about this season’s cold, wet weather is that it begs for recipes like this. I hope you pour yourself a beer, grab a chunk of bread, and dig into a bowl of this soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 4 portions:
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs
The weather just turned cold and wet here in San Francisco, and when that happens I always crave something hot and comforting, ladled from a steamingpot. I do have a brand new video to post for Friday that fits the bill nicely, but due to circumstances beyond my control, it will not be up until late in the day.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this video recipe for beef merlot that I posted a few years ago. It’s an easy take-off on beef bourguignon, and one of my all-time, cold-weather favorites. Be sure to read the original post here, to find out why the heck I used merlot. Enjoy!
If you’ve worked in restaurants before, you know that every night before service the staff sits down to what’s called the “family meal.” One of the younger cooks is usually charged with scraping together something filling and, more importantly, not expensive. It was during one of these meals that I first had adobo.
When I worked at the Carnelian Room in the late 80’s, much of the kitchen crew was Filipino, so chicken and pork adobo was a very common dinner. One of the dishwashers made a particularly great version, and I fell in love with the bold, simple flavors. I also remember being pretty annoyed that the dishwashers there were better cooks than I was at the time, but that’s another story.
Anyway, I happened to have some duck legs around last week, and all it took was a well-timed email wishing for adobo to inspire this video. I understand that most of you will not use duck for this, but if you do, be sure to save the fat.
Duck fat is prized by chefs, and more heart-healthy than people realize. It can be used for just about anything you’d normally fry in butter or vegetable oil. I roasted some Brussels spouts with mine, but it also will make just about the best homefries you’ve ever tasted.
Like I said in the video, no duck, no problem. If you can simmer it in a sauce, it will work in this recipe. Because of the high soy sauce content, be careful about over reducing, but other than that, not much can go wrong. This is cheap, easy, and very flavorful, which is why it makes for such a great “family meal.” Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 duck legs:
6 duck legs (or about same amount of chicken or pork)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp reserved duck fat
1 large onion, sliced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup seasoned rice vinegar (if not seasoned, use a little sugar to taste)
1/2 cup soy sauce, or to taste (this is a fairly salty dish, so if you're not into that kind of thing, add less and adjust later)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp sambal chili sauce, or other hot pepper sauce to taste
When ONE.org asked me to help raise awareness about their campaign to fight chronic malnutrition, using the humble sweet potato, I had one important question…if I agreed, would I get some kind of tote bag?
When I was informed there was no tote bag, I decided to check out their info anyway, and I’m very glad I did. While I was shocked to learn that millions of children die each year from malnutrition, it was heartening to learn what a huge difference this delicious “super-food” could make.
To help spread the word, I offer up this colorful, and very tasty, roasted sweet potato and black bean chili. I really enjoyed this 100% vegetarian version, and the extra step of roasting the potatoes not only concentrated the sweet, earthy flavors, but gave the starchy chunks a marvelously meaty texture.
Anyway, I’m going to sign off so I can go add “Helped Bono fight childhood malnutrition” to my resume, but I sincerely hope you take a minute and check out One.org for more information about this sweet potato campaign, as well as sign the nutrition petition. Thank you, and as always, enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 lbs orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, sliced
1 tbsp cumin
2 or 3 tbsp Ancho chili powder, or other chili powders, or to taste
I had heard that some sauerbratens were finished by thickening the sauce with ground gingersnaps, but had never tried it since it just sounds so wrong. It certainly doesn’t seem very German. Cookies in a sauce? What’s next, laughing in public?
Anyway, I’ve had a lot of “do something German!” food wishes lately, and since I’ve wanted to post another short ribs recipe, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to go full cookie. The results shocked and amazed me. This was comfort food at it's finest.
The 24-hour marinade ensured the succulent rib meat had that signature tanginess, and those little cookies not only gave the sauce a beautiful texture, but also added a great spicy sweetness. I am now officially in favor of using cookies to finish savory sauces.
With cooler weather on the way, it’s time to rediscover the simple joy of slowly stewed meat, and what better way than with this delicious take on a German classic? I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the marinade
3 lbs short ribs, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups water, plus 1 cup cold water at end to cool marinade down
