I hate being cold, or even somewhat cold.
I hate having to wear a ton of layers just to take the chill off.
I hate having to scrape ice and brush snow off my car.
I hate waiting for my car to warm up just so I can stop shivering uncontrollably.
I hate pumping gas in the winter...I find myself standing there freezing my butt off and wishing I lived in New Jersey so that someone would be pumping my gas for me.
The list could go on and on...
Winter is no fun for me, so I tend to be one that hibernates as much as possible until spring arrives. You are probably wondering why I live in New York then, right? One word...family. I love them too much to leave because if I were to move, it would be to California, and that is just too far.
Regardless of my "hate list" there is one thing that I do really enjoy about the colder months, and that would be comfort food! Even I have to admit that you are never going to enjoy a nice bowl of chili, homemade soups and stews, or a nice big cup of hot chocolate in the warmer months like you do in the winter. It's just not going to work. These kinds of comfort foods are the ones that warm me through and through, and make me feel right at home. So, I guess I should thank you Old Man Winter for that.
This stew recipe is one that I found years ago in a Cooking Light magazine. It was intended to be cooked on the stovetop and had a lot of steps, but I figured why not make it easier on myself and cook it in the Crock Pot? You know, "Set it, and forget it!"
I've never been a huge fan of your typical beef stew, it's too meat and potatoes for me. Of course this is why my husband loves beef stew. What man doesn't love meat and potatoes, right? I am sure there are some, but probably not too many. So, when I came across this recipe I knew it was more my style, and I knew it would be a good compromise for the two of us.
The red wine gives this dish a depth of flavor and richness that I really enjoy. We both like mushrooms, carrots, onions, and garlic, so it was perfect in every way. I've made it numerous times over the years, and it is one we look forward to having every winter.
You can serve this stew as is, or over your favorite gluten-free pasta (shown here with my favorite brown rice pasta by Tinkyada) , quinoa or brown rice. And, if you are so inclined, you could get a nice gluten-free baguette for mopping up any of that delicious gravy!
I hope you give this one a try and enjoy it as much as we do.
I may hate winter, but I do love this stew!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
1/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 can (14 oz.) gluten-free beef broth
1 1/2 cups red wine (any kind you like to drink)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup carrots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 10 ounce packages white mushrooms, quartered
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch with water (if needed at the end)
Directions:
Place stew beef into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with flour and sea salt. Seal the bag tight and then shake to coat evenly.
Place all of the liquid ingredients first into a 5-quart crock pot. Then, add the tomato paste and beef mixture. Place all remaining ingredients into slow cooker and cover.
Cook for about 6 hours on High, or 8 hours on Low.
If the broth is not thick enough for you at this point you may add some corn starch to it. Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of corn starch in a small bowl and add some water to it. Mix it well and then pour into the crock pot and stir through. Cover it and let it set up for about 5 minutes.
Serve over your favorite gluten-free pasta, quinoa, or brown rice.
Yield: 9, 1 cup servings.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, September 2004.
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