Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients (serves 6-8 ish...)

• 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1.5 kg (~3 lbs) beef (tri tip/brisket/chuck), trimmed, cut into 5cm pieces - (My butcher does this for me) or see link below for additional cuts of meat that are kosher. *
• 1 large brown onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 cups red wine (500 mls)
• 2 cups brown beef stock (500mls)  I usually use half and add more if necessary toward the end.
• Herbs of choice - I used 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped and a bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 16 small pickling onions, peeled (see tip)
• sliced carrots or better yet, baby carrots if you can get them
• 400g (~ 3/4 lb) small button mushrooms - Sautéed lightly in olive oil
• Green beans and garlic mashed potatoes (or pasta) to serve

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish over medium-high heat. Dry the beef cubes or they will not brown well.  Cook beef, in batches, for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl.  If you cook too many of the beef cubes at once, they will not brown nicely.  Take your time with this!
   
2. Reduce heat to medium. Heat remaining oil in dish. Add minced onion. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.  Garlic burns easily so watch it carefully.
   
3. Return beef and juices to pan. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Add stock until the meat is covered and then stir in tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add pickling onions, sliced carrots and lightly Sautéed mushrooms. Check to see that there is enough liquid left.  If necessary, add the rest of the stock.  Cook, covered, for 30 minutes or until meat and onions are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
   

*Notes:
 Kosher Beef Cuts  <---Link to Kosher cuts of beef

Tip: Leave a little root attached to each pickling onion to prevent them falling apart during cooking.

If you wish for a thicker gravy, then you can combine 1-2 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour to 1/4 cup cold water and add this and cook until the sauce becomes clear again. Omit this step during Passover.

Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes - I make garlic mash to go with this dish. 
I also make a good basic french bread/baguette to help with sopping up the gravy.

This makes a great hamin/cholent, too!  Just make the meat ahead of time and add the veggies and put it on a blech just before candle lighting.  Yum!

K (F)

Delicious Moroccan Beef Stew

This is so delicious.  It can be made vegan if you omit the meat, use kosher broth cubes, reduce the oil and use additional vegetables.  I love eggplant, summer squash, mushrooms, lentils, and curry leaf in this, myself. 

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb (or 1/2 kilo) stew meat
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 Tbsp ginger (fresh) peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/2 cinnamon quill (stick)
1 litre vegetable or beef stock
2 x 400g cans peeled tomatoes
1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

To serve:
1 lemon, zested
fresh corriander (cilantro)

Method:

Dust beef with flour (I shake it in a bag)
Heat half the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot and brown the beef well.
Add onions, garlic and ginger and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Add the rest of the olive oil and spices and fry gently for 5 minutes
Turn up the heat and add the stock and tinned tomatoes
Bring to the boil and season with salt and pepper as desired (I wait until closer to the end to season)

Cover and simmer gently for 1-1/2 - 2 hours, till beef is totally tender.
** If you wish, this step can be done in a slow cooker (crock pot) and cooked overnight or on a blech.**

Add the chickpeas, simmer for a bit and check seasonings.

Serve in large bowls with rice (I am making saffron rice!) and plenty of challah.

This would make for a fantastic 'cholent' or hamin, as I call it.

I prefer a bit more cumin and chili in mine. I also like the taste of hawaij - a mixture of cardamom, tumeric and other spices.

The version above will please even palates of children.

In addition, other vegetables such as fresh spinach, zucchini, small diced potatoes, carrot, eggplant, and okra (YUM!) can be added if it is for Shabbat dinner. These tender vegetables will over-cook if for hamin.

K (F) but can be K (P)