Beef Stews

My daughter, Nurul called me up today while I was in the bus travelling from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, asking for a stew recipe. I told her to look up my blog.Since she was already on the way to the supermarket, she had no way of referring to my blog.

I had posted a chicken stew recipe for beginners back in 2008.

I looked up my recipe book (the one I have had since my student days) and will now post 2 recipes for reference.

1.MIDWEST STEW

Ingredients:

500g beef chunks. I would use lean beef as I hate the taste of beef fat.
2 tablespoon cooking oil
2 quarts (1.14 litres) beef broth, made by boiling tough cuts of meat together with the bones, and keeping the liquid known as broth; the boiled meat can be used in stews or made into meatballs)
4 carrots, quartered
4 turnips, peeled and quartered
4 potatoes, quartered
1 can tomatoes or 1 kg fresh tomatoes mixed with 1/4 can liquid cream (Use fresh milk if you cannot get cream)
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
1/2 bunch parsley
4 bay leaves (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
4 medium onions, halved

Method:

Heat a saucepan and brown beef on both sides with the cooking oil.
Heat a large saucepan and heat beef broth, add carrots, turnips, potatoes, onions, celery stalk pieces.Place tomatoes in the centre and pour in the liquid cream.

Add bay leaves and seasoning.Cover and simmer for 2 hours. You may add in the celery leaves and parsley half an hour before the 2 hours is up. The stew is eaten with bread and salad. You may add a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt, to the stew if you like.

2) HARVEST STEW

The second stew recipe is simpler.

Ingredients:

500g beef stew meat.
2 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked lima beans
1 cup young corn
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup cooked tomatoes
1 cup elbow macaroni
1 sprig parsley
5 cups water

Method:

Cut beef into cubes. You can also buy ready cut cube meat at the supermarket that is meant for making 'rendang'. Brown the meat in cooking oil in a heavy saucepan. Add salt and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Stir to blend. Taste and season with pepper or any other seasoning you prefer. Serves 4-6.

If you do not want the vegetables to be overcooked, you may add them in sequence with the tougher ones first. Mushrooms, tomatoes and parsley would be last to be added. Add more water if necessary.

Best eaten by itself.