Rich Brown Stew With Croutons Recipes

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Tip in enough beef to cover the base of the pan in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the beef on each side, turning until it has a deep brown crust all over - this will give the stew a deep, beefy flavour. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon and continue cooking until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan, then tip in the onions, reduce the heat to low-medium and sizzle for 8-10 mins until soft, stirring and scraping the base of the pan to lift any browned bits.
• Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon and tomato purée. Stir for 1-2 mins until the spices are sizzling and aromatic, then tip in the chopped tomatoes and chipotle paste, if using, and crumble in the stock cubes. Return the beef to the pan with any resting juices, pour in 1.2 litres water, season and bring to a simmer.
• Once bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hr 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, tip the lentils into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak. Drain, then add to the stew, cover again and continue to cook for 45 mins more, or until the beef and lentils are tender.
• Tip in all the beans, return to a simmer and bubble for 5 mins until the beans are warmed through. If your stew is soupy and you prefer it thicker, boil, uncovered, for a few minutes more until reduced to your liking. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or chipotle paste, if you like; it may also need some sugar depending on the tomatoes you've used (add up to 2 tsp). Will keep chilled for two days or frozen for two months. Leave to cool completely first.
• If making the tortilla croutons, cut the wraps into small triangles and heat enough oil to cover the base of a deep frying pan. Fry over a medium heat for 2-3 mins, tossing in the pan until crisp. Or, simply crumble tortilla chips to make a quick, crunchy topping.
• Serve the stew in bowls topped with your choice of feta, soured cream or yogurt, coriander, avocado and sliced chilli, lime wedges on the side for squeezing over and the tortilla croutons. Grind over some black pepper, if you like, before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place beef cubes into a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add flour and paprika and toss until evenly coated.
• Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef cubes in batches until dark brown, about 4 minutes per side. Flip or stir gently with a wooden spoon until all edges are dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove beef and set aside.
• Add onions to the beef fat with more salt and pepper; cook and stir until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir until aromatic and soft, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook until it turns brown and begins to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with red wine, scraping up the flavorful browned bits on the bottom. Let the wine reduce until almost dry again, about 3 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, dried rosemary, herbes de Provence, and bay leaves. Add 2 cups beef broth and Worcestershire, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the seared beef cubes back into the stew liquid. Remove from heat and cover the pot.
• Braise in the preheated oven until meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven. Add carrots, potatoes, and more beef broth if needed. Cover and return to the oven to braise until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
• Discard bay leaves. Stir in peas, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Serve hot.

Steps:

• Brown meat in 2 tb hot oil.
• Add rest of ingredients and bring to bubbling over medium heat.
• Simmer 3 + hours over low/medium ( it should be bubbly but not burning), stirring occasionally to keep from sticking
• Remove meat and vegetables, thicken liquid for gravy. (Use 4 tblsp. flour blended with 3 tblsp. fat and 1 teasp. Worcestershire sauce.).
• Place meat, veggies and gravy in shallow casserole, arrange bread triangles around edge and sprinkle top with cheese. Brown under broiler.

Steps:

• Put a 16-quart stockpot over medium-high heat and coat with the oil. When the oil starts shimmering, add the fennel, spreading it evenly in a single layer over the bottom of the pot. Brown the fennel for about 2 minutes, rotating the pieces with tongs. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss in the clams and give them a stir to coat with the vegetables. Pour in the Pernod, wine, and tomatoes. Cover and cook until the clams open, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer the clams to a bowl (discard any that don't open) and set aside. Bring the liquid to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes cook down, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the tomatoes reduce, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Spread the bread liberally with the parsley sauce. Lay the slices side by side on a baking pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread just starts to toast.
• Meanwhile, pour 2 cups water and the clam juice into the pot; season with the salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat. Carefully ease the lobsters into the boiling liquid, cover the pot, and steam for 8 minutes, flipping them over with tongs halfway through cooking; the shells should be bright red. Using tongs, carefully remove the lobsters from the pot and put them on a large platter.
• Now add the mussels, shrimp, scallops, and swordfish to the pot. Toss in the tarragon and parsley, cover, and simmer for 4 minutes.
• With two large chef's knives, split the lobsters in half down the body. Place the knuckles and claws on the work surface and give them a whack to crack them open. Put the calamari and reserved clams in the pot and set the lobsters on top. Cover the pot for a minute so everything gets nice and hot; do not stir because you'll break up the fish.
• For drama, I like to take the whole pot to the table and serve it in front of guests. Divide among large pasta bowls, being sure to ladle plenty of broth into each. Put a large dollop of aïoli, if using, on each crouton. Float the croutons on top of the stew. Serve the remaining croutons on the side . . . people always want another.
• Saffron Aïoli
• Combine the saffron with 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl, stir, and let steep for 5 minutes to release the saffron color and flavor.
• In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic. Gradually whisk in the saffron water until well blended. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. For more teeth-friendly croutons, remove the crusts from the bread, then cut the loaf into inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into inch-wide strips. Working over a large bowl, tear each strip into inch-size pieces. Alternatively, you can tear croutons directly off the loaf, as long as you get somewhat evenly sized pieces.
• Toss croutons with olive oil to coat them evenly, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use a second sheet as needed to prevent crowding, which will entrap steam and keep the croutons from browning.
• Toast croutons for about 18 to 22 minutes, checking them after 8 minutes. Rotate the pans, switch their oven positions, and use a metal spatula to turn and rotate the croutons so that they brown evenly. Once they begin to brown, check them every few minutes, continuing to turn and rotate. Some croutons might be done when others still need a few more minutes of baking, so remove them from the tray and let the rest finish cooking. Bake the croutons until they're golden brown and crunchy on the outside, with just a tiny bit of chew on the inside.
• Taste a crouton and adjust the seasoning with a light sprinkling of salt if needed. Let croutons cool in a single layer on the baking sheet. Use immediately or keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To refresh stale croutons, bake for 3 to 4 minutes at 400 degrees.