Sunday, October 19, 2008

Beef Stew with Basil Tomato Paste



Fall, means football and stew in the Przewoznik/Minor household. Sunday night I made "Beef Stew with Basil Tomato Paste" served with "Homemade Whole Wheat Honey Bread". The recipes for each follow. Bon Appetite!


Beef Stew with Basil Tomato Paste

1 tbs. olive oil
Nonstick cooking spray
1 lb stew meat or bloneless lean chuck steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (1 lb) low-sodium tomatoes, pureed with their juices
2 medium-size stalks of celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 3-inch strips orange peel
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
2 medium-size yellow onions, quartered
2 medium-size turnips, peeled and quartered
2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 medium-size carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
3 tbs. minced fresh basil or 2 tbs. minced parsley plus 1 tsp. dried basil, crumbled
2 tbs. low-sodium tomato paste
6 oz fresh or thawed frozen snow peas

  1. Heat the olive oil over moderate heat for 1 minute in a heavy 10-inch skillet that has been coated with the cooking spray. Season the stew meat cubes with the pepper, add to the skillet, and brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a 4-quart Dutch oven.
  2. Add the wine to the skillet and boil, uncovered for 2 minutes, scrapping up any browned bits. Add the beef broth, tomatoes, celery, 3 cloves of the garlic, the orange peel, fennel seeds, basil, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Pour all into the Dutch oven, cover, and simmer 1 1/4 hours.
  3. Discard the bay leaf and orange peel, then add the onions, turnips, and carrots; cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender -- about 45 minutes.
  4. Using a fork, mash the remaining garlic with the fresh basil, blend in the tomato paste and set aside. Cook the snow peas for 1 minute in boiling water, drain, and set aside.
  5. Just before serving, stir the basil - tomato paste mixture into the stew along with the snow peas. Heat for 1 minute. Serves 4.

Homemade Whole Wheat Honey Bread


1 1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup honey
3 tbs. butter
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2-3 tsp. dry yeast.

Place all ingredients in order into baking pan of bread machine. Set machine to 1 1/2 lb loaf, and wheat bread setting. Press start.

No comments: