Last week I wanted to make something for St. Patrick’s day dinner, something Irish-y i.e. Something that included beer, more specifically, Guinness. When in Rome – err – Ireland…
However, in true Irish fashion we met up with my mom and brother and everyone else for Greek Food. Not quite Irish, but oh well. The pubs and Irish food joints were packed to the hill, so we decided to eat wherever was empty, which ended up being a Greek place. The food was good, but took forever – there were also 9 of us so that might have been why.
Although St. Patrick’s day was over, I woke up Monday wanting to still make something. So, I decided to go to the Liquor store to pick up some Guinness. It never crossed my mind what time it was. It was 11 am. On a Monday. And I was going to buy beer – all in the name of cooking. I joked with the cashier that I hadn’t had anything Irish on St. Patrick’s day and that I was going to make a stew with the Guinness, and not actually drink it. I suppose he knew a thing or two about cooking, or has had the conversation before because he mentioned that there were other, better, beers to use for a stew besides Guinness. I also didn’t really need a case of beer (though Adam would have helped me there), and apparently Guinness doesn’t make single serve beers. Not that I know about about Beers, or Stouts, but he suggested Phillips Chocolate Stout for using it in a stew. It was in the single serve beer section, so I though I would try it.
A friend of mine had asked me to post a slow cooker recipe, and also enjoys a good beer or two. This way, you can have both in one.
The great thing about slow cooker recipes is that you can throw it all together, and then be off on your way knowing that a delicious dinner will basically cook itself. That’s the kind of dinner I like, especially when I have finals and assignments to write – and Adam isn’t the chef around here. Although, I’m fairly certain anyone can make a slow cooker meal.
I know it’s technically ‘Spring,’ now, but yesterday it was so windy and cold that our power went out. So, as long as the warm weather holds off, you can still warm up with a bowl of this stew.
Adam and I are headed down to the States this weekend, hoping for some Seattle sunshine – maybe??
After hitting up the liquor store at 11 am, ahem, I went to our favourite butcher shop Meridian Meats & Seafood to get some beef. You’ll need about 1.5 – 2 lbs of stewing beef (they had extra lean, but a little bit of fat would actually add flavouring to the stew when you brown it)
Where’s the Beef. (hah)
Add 2 Tbs. of butter to pan over medium-high heat.
Add the beef in two batches, you’ll want to leave room for browning.
Brown the meat on all sides. Season with salt + pepper as it browns.
Once all the beef is browned, place the piece in the slow cooker. Leave the juice in the pan.
Saute onions and celery in juice for 5 minutes. Add 2 tbs tomato paste. Saute for a few more minutes, adding a splash of the Stout to scrape up the browned bits in the pan.
Once finished, transfer celery and onion mixture to the slow cooker.Add the rest of the Stout, worcestershire sauce, broth, thyme and vegetables to the pot.
Cover, and let cook on Low for 8 hours OR High for 4 hours.
This stew gets even better the next day.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1.5 – 2 pounds marbled stewing beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 celery staks, chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbs. worcestershire sauce
- 1 pint Stout/Porter (may I suggest a Chocolate Stout)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 small yellow nugget potatoes, cut into chunks
- 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into chunks
- dried thyme
1 Heat the butter in large pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in the butter. Do this in two batches to allow beef to brown evenly. Sprinkle salt over the beef as it browns. Once browned on all sides, transfer the beef pieces into the slow cooker.
2 Add the diced onions and celery to the pan in which you just browned the beef. Sauté the onions and celery until they begin to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook for a minute or two, then add a little of the Stout, enough to make it easier for you to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Transfer the celery and onions into the slow cooker.
3 Add the rest of the Stout, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, carrots, chopped celery, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, and thyme to the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on “high” for 4 hours, or “low” for 8 hours.
Enjoy!
I served mine over mashed potatoes, but you can also just have it on its own.
We’ve run out of luck here in Vancouver – Fall is definitely upon us. We had a good run with a late summer this year – and this weekend was testament to that. Today it was raining, and then in was hailing. And now it is sunny and cold. Vancouver weather is still a mystery.
Chili has to be one of my all time favourite comfort foods. Chock full of vegetables, whatever you have on hand, spices and tomatoes (an Italian staple). Simple, warm, comforting. It is Fall in a bowl. And when Fall comes around, I like my foods in a bowl (Think: Soup, Chili, Oatmeal, Pasta) The goods.
This chill isn’t just like any other chili, it has earthy hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin paired with pumpkin puree for added thickness. The spices make for a rather aromatic Fall chili. Turkey and pumpkin naturally go together – like Thanksgiving. Since I’m not a coffee drinker (I know), I can’t go all crazy for the Pumpkin Spiced whatever at Starbucks – But I do go crazy for pumpkin spice anything. Especially food.
Pumpkin is also super nutritious – full of antioxidants, and carotenoids, so be sure to add it whenever you can to your food – trust me, no one would even notice!
I did say I wasn’t going to post anymore recipes with Pumpkin in them – but I didn’t even think about it when I was making this Saturday night. Usually when I think of pumpkin in a recipe, it’s the sweet kind. Like the Marbled Pumpkin Bundt Cake, or the Pumpkin Swirl Brownies, or even Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream.
But – Pumpkin can definitely be savoury. Adam and I loved this chili – I’ll definitely be keeping pumpkin on hand, for baking and for chili. I think Pumpkin Soup is also in the future.
This weekend was an absolutely fabulously slow weekend – The days seemed to drag on, which was much needed after two weeks spent observing in an Elementary school. Friday night we stayed in, Saturday we went to our favourite three year old’s birthday (I can say this because we don’t know any other three year olds at the moment, so he’s allowed to be the favourite) and then made some chili. This morning we went to the gym (much overdue this week) and then stayed in. I managed to photograph three recipes – so the blog will have lots of action this week! (also much overdue).
I also love veggie chili – if you’re a vegetarian just omit the ground turkey, it’s just as satisfying.
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 tbs. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2-3 red or orange peppers
- handful – approx. 10 mushrooms
- 4 medium carrots
- 4 stalks of celery
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 large cans (946 ml) plum tomatoes
- 1 package ground turkey
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- cumin
- chili spices
- black pepper
Directions:
- In large pot on medium-low, saute diced onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is translucent – about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground turkey and continue to sauté until almost completely cooked – another 5-7 minutes.
- Chop up all remaining vegetables, and add to the pot.
- In a blender, add the cans of tomato and pulse until slightly blended. Pour into pot, and turn up to medium heat.
- Add the rinsed and drained can of black beans (can also use kidney)
- Add two cups of Pumpkin Puree, and stir to incorporate.
- Add as much spice as you like, I like a spicier chili, but you can add more cinnamon and nutmeg to even it out. The cumin adds a deeper flavour, and the cinnamon actually brings out the chili spice – Don’t worry about it actually tasting like cinnamon, just a couple dashes will do.
- Turn chili to medium-low, and let simmer for an hour or so, until the vegetables are tender.
Optional: Serve with sour cream, diced avocado, and chopped green onions.
I love being off school.
Having no responsibilities, due dates or assignments is really a huge relief. I also just found out last week I was accepted into the Teaching program – I begin in September, and will officially be a teacher in one year! I always loved ‘playing teacher’ when I was younger, and now my childhood dream is going to come true. I love being in school. Don’t get me wrong, I hate the stress of homework, but I always really enjoyed projects and extracurricular activities, and just being in the classroom. So, I’m going back to school, so I can work in a school, forever, pretty much. I love school, but I also love summer vacation. It’s funny, when you think about what you wanted to be when you ‘grew up,’ and then you realize that you have reached that goal, its surreal. Many young kids who wish to be astronauts may not have reached their dreams, and although a teacher is not quite an astronaut, I think it’s pretty awesome that the young role-playing teacher me, will now be the actual real-life teacher. I am both excited and nervous, but this is just another step in life. As I said, this year is going to be really awesome. Adam and I became an aunt and uncle to a beautiful little niece, we bought a new house, I am graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree, my family is planning a grad party this summer, I’m in the midst of planning a once in a lifetime trip to Europe for July and August, where I will be meeting up with my Nonna in Italy to explore my family’s heritage and bathing in the Tuscan sun, and I will be starting the PDP program in the Fall to become an Elementary school teacher. Whew! Going to be a whirlwind year!
French Onion has always been one of my favourite soups. I remember whenever we went to a family dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory we would get the french onion soup to start. When my dad worked in the restaurant industry he would make delicious french onion, or, so my mom told me. When I was older he would make it at home for special occasions. Since I found out about my dairy allergy I can’t eat the cheese, and I probably shouldn’t eat the bread either due to my wheat allergy. But my mom really felt like this soup today, so I went over to her house and made it for her.
I didn’t eat the soup itself, but I did eat a large scoop of the caramelized onions before we added them to the broth. It was onion heaven. I could it them plain. And I did. They would also be delicious on burgers and hot dogs. Adam is not a fan of onions, but I would definitely make the soup at home again! He will just have to learn to love them.
It’s funny, as onion soup would have been something that the poor would make and eat back in the earliest centuries, as onions were abundent and easy to grow. Now, however, this modern version of the soup is seen as a classic dish, often found as a delicacy soup as a starter or main course.
French Onion soup is pretty easy to make, I based this recipe off of the Pioneer Woman’s recipe found here
How to Caramelize onions:
The key to caramelizing onions is butter, and steady heat. You have to be patient, and not crank up the heat. You want them to cook slowly and evenly for a period of time to allow them to break down and caramelize in the butter.
Slice up your onions thinly, toss in 1 stick of butter and cook over medium heat.
After about 10 minutes, they will begin to soften and brown. You want them to become quite fragrant and browned. Keep keeping them at this point! If you think it’s too high heat, you can lower it slightly.
This is about 20 minutes, they are really browned with lots of ‘grit’ from the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high, but not the highest setting.
At this point you can pour in the white wine. It will sizzle, and steam. Allow the wine to reduce for about 5 minutes.
Slightly reduced, keep stirring until almost all of the liquid evaporates. It can take up to 30 minutes for this large of a pan of onions to caramelize and reduce with the wine. It is worth the wait.
Once almost all of the wine is gone, your onions should be ready. They will smell heavenly. Feel free to taste-test before adding to the broth. You’ll want to scrape up the bits from the pan, they are flavourful and will add to the broth. Scrape onions into your broth, and let simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour on low.
Pour into soup bowls
Top with toast
Top with cheese, and broil.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1 stick Butter
- 4-5 whole Large Yellow Onions, sliced thinly
- 1 cup (generous) Dry White Wine
- 4 cups Chicken Broth – low sodium, bought or homemade
- 4 cups Beef Broth, we had homemade in the freezer that we used.
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 2+ Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 Tbs. Port Wine
- bread
- cheese of your choice, Havarti, Gruyere, Emmental
Preparation Instructions
In large pot, add both broths, garlic and a dash of Worcestershire sauce over medium-low heat. Allow to simmer while you cook the onions.
Melt butter in a large heavy bottom pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 20-25 minutes. You want the onions to caramelize, and turn a dark brown colour. Using a wooden spoon stir them occasionally, scraping up the browned bits of butter into the onions. When they look like they are caramelized, at the 20 minutes point, add the 1 cup of dry white wine along with the Worcestershire sauce. Allow it to reduce for another few minutes, until the liquid is almost gone.
Once the onions are cooked, add them to the simmering broth, and simmer on low for another 20 minutes or so, or until you wish to eat. The longer it simmers together, the more flavourful it will be. You can leave it on very low for an hour or so if you like.
To make the bread, sprinkle oil over baguette or bread slice, and broil until browned and crisp on both sides.
To serve, use a french onion soup bowl, or small ramekins or other oven safe bowls and fill with the onion soup, top with a piece of crunchy bread, and top with a few slices of cheese. Place under broiler again until cheese is bubbly. Keep your eye on it.