Lamb Stew with Cipolline Onions and Potatoes

Cook Time: 1 hr 50 min

Level: Intermediate

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

3 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, meat cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

3 1/2 cups beef broth

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices

1 tablespoon tomato paste

18 small cipolline onions

12 small red-skinned potatoes, halved

2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Toss the lamb with the flour in a large bowl to coat. Working in 2 batches, add the lamb to the pot and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl. Pour off the excess oil. Add the garlic to the same pot and saute over medium heat until tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the pot. Stir in the broth, tomatoes with their juices, and tomato paste. Cover partially and simmer over medium-low until the lamb is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook the onions in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool. Peel the onions and cut off the root ends. Add the onions, potatoes, and carrots to the stew. Simmer until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes longer. Season the stew, to taste, with salt and pepper.

From: foodnetwork.com

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

3 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
Crusty bread, for serving


Directions

In a large soup pot heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute until the onions are tender, about 2 minutes. Toss the beef cubes in salt and pepper and flour. Turn up the heat to med-high and add the beef to the pot. Cook until the beef is browned and golden around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the Marsala wine. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to combine. Add enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread alongside.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chicken Stew

Cook Time: 35 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 carrot, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 small onion, chopped
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
* 1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
* 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 2 chicken breast with ribs (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
* 1 (15-ounce) can organic kidney beans, drained (rinsed if not organic)
* Serving suggestion: crusty bread

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the
celery, carrot, and onion. Saute the vegetables until the onion is
translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato
paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts; press to
submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low
and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked
through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture
occasionally, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken
breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay
leaf. Add the kidney beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has
reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the skin and bones from the chicken breasts. Shred or cut the
chicken into bite- size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew.
Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to
taste.

Ladle the stew into serving bowls and serve with the bread.