When the weather is Cold (-30C) light snow and just plain miserable outside, I always think of “Comfort Food”.

What better “Comfort Food” than Beef Stew

So – here you go – recipe for Stewing Around with Chef Bari

Ingredients:
Yield : 4 guests

16 oz Sirloin ( medium cut)
2 tablespoons of Olive or Vegetable Oil
3 cloves of garlic – minced

Vegetables: all medium cut. What ever cut you decide, make sure the meat and vegetables are the same size.
1 onion
4 medium size carrots
1/2 turnip
4 stalks of celery
1/2 cup of peas ( preferably fresh but we know frozen is more available this time of year -Jan.)
3 large Red Skin Potatoes
2 1/2 cups of Beef or Chicken Stock.

Interesting information : Did you know most of Chefs write chicken like this – chix.

Have you used Roux before? Most Chefs use this for to prepare sauces.

Roux (IPA: /ˈruː/) is a mixture of wheat flour and fat, traditionally clarified butter. It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté, and sauce espagnole. Butter, vegetable oils, or lard are common fats used. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews. It is typically made equal parts of flour and fat by weight

If you haven’t worked with roux before, just make a Slurry like your Grandma did.
Slurry is a mixture of flour and Stock – well mixed

Method:

1. Bring out your favorite stock pot ( should have a good thick bottom plate – if you have one – you know what I mean. Otherwise, this kind of stock pot or brazier can be expensive)
2. Add your oil and heat up your pan on medium-high range. Season your cubed sirloin beef with salt and pepper. Or – another way of doing this is to place the beef ,oil,salt,pepper and garlic in a bowl and mix with your clean washed hands.
3. Saute’ the beef for a couple of minutes.
   
4. Add your onions and saute’ for another minute – make sure you are stirring constantly to avoid burning the product.
5. Set to the side – meaning – off the burner.

Now : Thanks to Modern Technology – you can speed things up by using your microwave.

Oh – I can hear the chef that personally trained me, stirring in his grave – when I said – use the microwave. ( You can laugh now….ha ha)
The Chef that trained me was from France and worked sometime in Italy. In the early years, all Chefs were very temperamental. ( That’s another story)

You can par-cook (pre-cook your carrots turnip and potatoes in the microwave) for four minutes on high setting. Oh yes – place the carrots, turnip and potatoes, all in the same bowl and cook both at the same time in the microwave.

The reason for this is to make sure the vegetables and beef are cooked at the same rate. Otherwise you will find that you could have crunchy raw potatoes, turnips and carrots.

1. Place your saute’ stock pot back on the burner (of the stove..of course) on medium heat.
2. Add the celery and mix in
3. Add your par-cooked potatoes, turnips and carrots Note: You will not add the peas until the very end.
4. Add 1/8 of a cup of flour -(please..do not use wholewheat flour)
5. Mix all together with a wooden spoon ( I figure you would be using a wooden spoon, because I do)
6. Stir well – incorporate well.
7. Warm up your beef stock in the microwave for one minute and add the stock to the stock pot.
8. Mix well – I sometimes use a wire whip to quicken the mixing process.
9. Keep Stirring and watching your stew – in about five minutes it should begin to thicken.
10. Don’t make your sauce too thick or it will burn..no matter what you do. Just a thin sauce is good for now.
11. Turn down your heat and let simmer for twenty minutes. Again…keep stirring occasional to make sure you stew does not burn on the bottom.

You know when your stew is ready by taking a piece of the meat with sauce and taste it.
Now add your peas, stir in and let cook for another five minutes.

Voila’ Bon appetite! Call the kids for supper!

Looking for a Personal Chef in Edmonton Area ? Check out  Chef Bari : http://personalchefevents.com  Please support Chef Bari by buying his published cookbook : Canadian Recipes of the Great White North