It’s not winter, but I had an intense craving for some warm, comforting stew this week. I looked in my refrigerator, saw some carrots, mushrooms, and beef sitting on the shelves, and thought to myself why not make a beef stew. I love making beef stews on cold winter days. While hot summer days aren’t ideal for leaving my Dutch oven pot cooking for long periods of time on the stove, my cravings trumped the inconvenience. Beef stew is actually one of the first recipes I ever made when I first started cooking. My first version of beef stew was just a bunch of vegetables and some precut beef dumped into a pot and cooked over low heat. While my first attempt was acceptable, I definitely refined the flavors and technique over time. Browning the beef ahead of time definitely makes for a beef stew with more depth of flavor. I love making stews because it is one of those dishes where you really can’t get it wrong. You brown your favorite protein, choose your favorite vegetables, and dump it all in a pot to cook until all of the flavors come together. The best part is it is both approachable and a one pot meal. Next week is the fourth of July. I’ve been doing some light summer cleaning to keep my home neat for when my parents visit next week. In between work and projects, I’ve been able to squeeze in some time to tidy up my home. I’m excited for my family to visit during the fourth of July week because of the festivities in Ohio. Columbus has its annual red, white, and boom celebration which always draws in a large crowd from around the world. Last year, I attended the event with a friend and thought it was a really neat celebration in central Ohio. This year, I wanted to take my parents to the event so they can see some of the great aspects of Ohio. I even completed some of my photography assignments ahead of time just so I can spend quality time with my family without having to worry about looming deadlines. Mostly, I will have some time to cook with my mom and dad in the kitchen. My parents cooked a lot throughout my childhood. One of the dishes I’ve been hoping to learn from my parents is the Pan family braised beef. Stay tuned on whether or not we will have the opportunity to make it during their visit. In preparation for their visit next week, I’ve been refining my mushroom beef stew recipe. The version I made this week has a combination of eastern and western elements. I even debated naming the dish east meets west beef stew. I’ll save the name for next time. My mushroom beef stew has the standard mirepoix ingredients with the addition of smoky, crispy bacon, and earthy, savory portobella mushrooms. The stew cooks until the meat and vegetables are tender and then I hit it with some bright, sweet green peas at the end to add a pop of color and flavor. It’s going to be interesting cooking with my parents in the kitchen. Growing up, my mom and dad always had banters in the kitchen debating on what ingredients to add and which ingredients makes for a better flavor profile. What I love the most about my parents is their brutal honesty. If a scone is too sweet or a stew is under seasoned, they will definitely tell me. My mushroom beef stew got the seal of approval from Kevin. I just need to wait and see if my parents will also give my mushroom beef stew the seal of approval.
Mushroom Beef Stew:
· 6 pieces of thick cut bacon, diced
· 1 large piece of beef chuck steak or any other cut you prefer, cut into large chunks
· ½ small onion, thinly sliced
· 10-12 baby carrots
· 2 stalks celery, sliced into about ½ inch pieces
· 6-8 portobella mushrooms, thickly sliced
· ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
· ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
· ½ bottle of chardonnay or white wine of your choice
· 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
· ½ cup frozen green peas
· cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water)
Directions:
1) Heat a Dutch oven pot on medium heat. Add the diced bacon. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
2) Add the beef cubes to the pot. Brown the beef cubes on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Add the thinly sliced onion, baby carrots, and sliced celery. Cook for about 5 minutes.
3) Add the mushrooms to the pot. Cook until the mushrooms are slightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper.
4) Pour the chardonnay and soy sauce into the Dutch oven pot. Continue to cook the beef stew for an additional 20-25 minutes. Add the green peas during the last two minutes of cooking time. Add the cornstarch slurry during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Let the beef stew rest for a couple minutes before serving.
Takeaways: The beef stew is very versatile. You can add in any sturdy root vegetables of your choice to enhance the beef stew. You can also swap out the beef for chicken if you prefer.