Grandma’s Beef Stew

Michael’s mom is coming for dinner so he jazzes up some of her classics. Beef stew, mashed potatoes and spinach salad with pears, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette all get a Michael makeover to impress Mom.

• Beef Broth
• Beef Stew
• Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
• Spinach Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Beef Broth

Ingredients:

Beef Broth

• 5 kg. of oxtails, short ribs, or beef bones
• 4 x chopped onions
• 1 heads of celery, chopped
• 6 x carrots, chopped
• 1 lb. of mushrooms, chopped
• 1 x small can of tomato paste
• 1/2 bottle of red wine
• 5 x large sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 x large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 x bay leaves

Directions:

Beef Broth

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Roast bones and vegetables in oven until golden brown and well caramelized. Add a splash of water to the roasting pan and dissolve any browned bits in the pan. Place in a large stockpot and add tomato paste, veggies, wine and herbs. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 4-5 hours.
3. Strain stock into a clean pot and simmer until reduced by half.

Beef Stew

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Beef Stew

• 2 lb. of beef short ribs, cut into 2” pieces
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 3 x onions, chopped
• 3 x carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 heads of garlic, peeled
• 3 cups red wine
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste
• 1 can of beef stock
• 3 x bay leaves
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Beef Stew

1. Heat oil in a large pot, season ribs and brown evenly and thoroughly. Remove ribs and reserve on a plate, and then add onions, carrot and celery to the pot. Sauté, making sure to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan until the vegetables are caramelized. Add garlic, wine and tomato paste and stir well. Add beef stock and beef and bring to a simmer, covered, for 2-3 hours, until meat is very tender, and beginning to fall of the bone.
2. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes 2

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

• 4 x Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 stick of butter
• Large pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup of milk or 1 cup cream

Directions:

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

1. Cut potatoes in half and place in a steamer. Cover with a lid and steam over medium heat for 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Let it foam once and then continue to cook over low heat until it begins to brown. When it is just golden, take it off of the heat and add the milk.
3. Add brown butter, nutmeg, milk, salt and pepper to the potatoes. Mash potatoes in a bowl with a potato masher.

Spinach Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 1 bag of baby spinach
• 1 x granny smith apple, cored and sliced
• 1 x pear, cored and sliced
• 1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup of walnuts

For the Raspberry Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
• dash of hot sauce
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

For the Salad:

1. Place salad ingredients into a salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

For the Raspberry Vinaigrette:

1. Puree vinaigrette ingredients with an immersion blender, or in a blender.

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