Really Good Beef Stew

To call this dish a beef stew is a massive understatement. This is a bowl absolutely packed with flavor from the beef to the parmesan to the lemon and Calabrian chili paste. Over a long slow simmer, the ingredients meld and combine into this decadent, hearty, filling, interesting dish that’ not only incredibly delicious but as good for you as it is tasty.

I wish I could take full credit for this recipe, but this is a riff on Caroline Chamber’s recipe for beef stew. Her cookbook, ‘What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking’ is endlessly inspiring and I’ve loved using her recipes as a jumping off point in my own cooking.

If the concoction of ingredients seems a little out there, you aren’t wrong, but trust me and make this recipe. Beef stew meat is often affordable and on sale at the grocery store and this hearty recipe can pull double duty for dinner one night and lunch the rest of the week.

The homemade croutons might seem like a fussy extra step, but you’ll be so glad you made them as they float in your bowl, surrounded by a snowy shower of melty parmesan cheese (this is important, don’t skip the parm).

These are the kinds of recipes we need on these dreary January days. This recipe is a bit like a warm hug on a cold day, and I don’t know about you, but I could use a little extra comfort as we ease into a new year.

Really Good Beef Stew

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion diced

• 3 large carrots diced

• 4 stalks celery diced

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 1 cup green lentils

• 1 cup barley

• 2 pounds beef stew meat

• 3 32-ounce containers low-sodium beef stock

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• Zest and juice of a lemon

• 5-ounce container fresh baby spinach

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• Black pepper to taste

• Wedge of parmesan cheese

• Homemade croutons*

In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sear the beef stew meat, using a wooden spoon to turn the meat until all sides have a bit of color. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot, using your wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue stirring until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and bay leaves, cooking for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant..

Turn the heat to the pot on low and transfer the beef back to the pot along with the lentils, barley, tomato paste, Calabrian chili paste, cumin and the zest of the lemon (save the lemon to use later). Cut the rind off the parmesan cheese and add it to the pot. Stir to combine the flavors, then add the beef stock to the pot, stirring to combine.

Cover your pot with the lid, leaving a very small vent so the soup does not boil over. Turn the heat even lower to a simmer. You want the soup to just barely boil.

An alternative is to place the pot, covered completely with the lid, in a 275 degree oven. Regardless of if you leave the pot on the stove or in the oven, allow the stew to simmer for three to four hours, stirring occasionally. If the stew starts to get too thick, with not enough liquid, you can always add more stock or even just water, a cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

In the last 30 minutes of cooking, squeeze the juice from the zested lemon and add the baby spinach to the pot. Give it a stir and allow a few minutes for the spinach to wilt. Before serving, scoop out the bay leaves and parmesan cheese rind. To serve, top with homemade croutons and a generous shaving of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Homemade croutons

• 4 pieces thick-cut bread (any kind!)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut the bread into bite-size cubes. Warm a big slug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the bread and stir to coat in the oil. Add more oil if needed. Spread the bread into an even layer, sprinkling generously with Kosher salt and garlic powder. Cook undisturbed for about 3 to 5 minutes or until one side is golden brown and crispy. Stir and repeat on the other side for an additional 3 to 4o minutes