Roasted Beef and Flemish Beef Stew

This beef stew is a variation of the Carbonnades Flamandes that I greatly enjoyed in Belgium and is basically a roast beef with a beer and mushroom sauce.  A Belgian Dubbel style beer works well but other dark beers (Stouts and Porters) or brown ales can work equally well.  A can of Guinness is a good budget alternative to using a bottle of Chimay Blue.   Cook the Guinness, drink the Chimay.  A good craft porter like Founder's or Anchor is one of the best options to get a bit more alcohol and richer flavor.   Don't skip the mushrooms...this makes for a wonderful thick rich sauce at the end. I prefer the oven prepared method but both are great depending on your schedule.

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 2 pounds bottom round, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes - or chuck roast or other leaner roasts
• 3/4 pound sliced cremini, or white button mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups brown ale, or dark beer – Belgian trappist ale
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Preparation for Slow Cooker

1. Add carrots, onion, garlic, mustard, caraway seeds, salt, pepper and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.  Leave the carrots on the bottom.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the beef and brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker. Drain any fat from the pan. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and brown the remaining beef. Transfer to the slow cooker.
3. Return the skillet to medium heat, add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they give off their liquid and it evaporates to a glaze, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mushrooms; cook undisturbed for 10 seconds, then stir and cook for 30 seconds more. Pour in ale (or beer); bring to a boil, whisking constantly to reduce foaming, until thickened and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the slow cooker.
4. Put the lid on and cook on low until the beef is very tender, about 8 hours. Discard the bay leaf before serving.
5. Cook the gravy down with a roux at the end, add a little more beer or wine and season to taste.

Oven – Flemish Stew

Same as above but alter as follows

o   Set oven at 300 to preheat – trim majority of fat off of meat to prep

o   Put oil and butter in Dutch oven and brown the meat for about 8 min – set aside

o   Brown onions, add garlic, add carrots – salt and pepper

o   Stack the meat on top and put in the oven

o   Clean, chop, and cook down the mushrooms as noted above…add flour, beer, and other ingredients as noted

o   Pour mushroom beer seasoning mixture over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven

o   Cook for about 2-3 hrs depending on the size of the meat.  Remove from oven and keep on medium warmer until ready to eat.

o   Serve with fried potatoes and cornbread

Updates

Over the past year we have tried several new recipes and improvised on many of the old ones.  Here are some general concepts we have been using that can be altered to suit your mood or adapted to what you have on hand.

Chimichurri Variations

Base:

• Bunch of Basil or Parsley or Both - these plants help to counter the acidic qualities of the vinegar.  Spinach can also be added to create more "green" volume and tends to emphasize the vegetable flavor in the sauce.
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil - +/-
• 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar - (Apple Cider Vinegar as an alternate)
• 1 garlic - pulverized
• 1 Lemon Rind - grated
• Honey or Agave
• Salt/Pepper

Additions:

•  Roasted Nuts - Cashews
• goat cheese
• 1T Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
• 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce
• BBQ Veganaise or a little Mayo
• 1T Dijon mustard

Blend the above base and additions as desired in the food processor and serve over salad, pasta, meat, etc. This is the sauce I typically use for my pre-race pasta which includes chicken sausage, roasted zucchini, roasted peppers, fresh tomato, and fresh basil.
__________

Lemon-Goat Cheese - Basil

This is basically another variation of these olive oil + acidic juice sauces. This one is lemon instead of vinegar based and tastes quite fresh and bright.

Base:

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 T Dijon Mustard
• 2 T goat yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• salt/pepper
• Optional - add about 4 oz of soft goat cheese instead of yogurt
• Add Honey or Agave to sweeten if needed for balance

Pasta (a good option to combine with above)

• Roast Red Peppers, Sweet Onions, and Chicken Breasts in the oven
• Roast or saute some chopped olives and garlic 
• Saute shallots and spinach on the cooktop
• Prepare the pasta at the same time
• Let the chicken breasts rest a bit and then cut up into chunks, cut up the red pepper. 
• Combine with the lemon sauce and serve

____________
 Another "Sweet/Spicy" Variation featuring Agave and Smoked Chipotle Pepper

Agave tastes like a light version of honey and is less thick and sticky.  We had this several times this summer over the top of grilled chicken and a kind of improvised relish.   This sauce came from a grilled pork loin marinade recipe that used lime instead of lemon and made a wonderful pork base for tacos.  

Base:

• 1 zested lemon - add grated lemon rind
• juice of 1/2 fresh lemon (or change to lime for a variation to use with tacos)
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 smoked Chipotle pepper in Adobo Sauce (canned)
• salt/pepper

Fresh Summer Relish:

• Grilled chicken - marinated a bit in lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper
• Chopped Fresh Tomatoes
• Corn on the Cob - steamed and cut off the cob
• Raw Zucchini - skinned and chopped
• Olives - chopped
• 1 can garbanzo beans - drained and washed
• Roasted Red Peppers - from a jar - chopped - or fresh red peppers chopped
• green onion - chopped
• Option - some chopped fresh spinach makes this more like a salad
• combine all of the above in a large bowl and add the sauce to taste
• serve with garlic bread

Green Soup

This soup is very healthy and a great way to get a lot of vegetables into your meal schedule.  Strangely enough, when made properly it tastes creamy or cheesy, although there is no cheese in it.  Different things can be blended in to accent the taste at the end.  Roasting some of the vegetables helps to give it more dimension.

Soup Base

·         2 leeks (or onions) – chopped

·         Olive oil

·         Salt and pepper

·         Vegetable stock – 4 to 6 cups

Vegetable Options

·         Broccoli – pre roast in the oven

·         Potato – one small

·         Spinach

·         Cauliflower  - pre – roast in the oven

Roast broccoli and cauliflower in the oven for about 25 min at 400 until they start to brown and soften.  Start sauteing the onion in olive oil in a large soup pot.  Add the vegetable stock, salt, and pepper.  Cut up a potato and add to the mix.  Add the broccoli and cauliflower once they are ready.  Simmer together for a bit.  Add the spinach and cook into the soup until it is wilted and absorbed.  Blend small batches in the food processor or use a hand mixer to blend well and puree the mixture.  Season to taste.  Add additional toppings as desired.

Possible Toppings

·         Greek Yogurt

·         Sumac or Crushed Red Pepper

·         Hot Sauce

·         Parsley

·         Lemon

·         Roasted Nuts

·         Chopped Andouille or Canadian Bacon