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Nancy’s Fiery Fare:
Spicy Savory Stews
by Nancy Gerlach, Fiery-Foods.com Food Editor
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Recipes in this Issue: |
Here in New Mexico it’s the time of year when the aspens turn gold and chiles turn red. Newly strung ristras magically appear everywhere, a sure sign that fall is here and winter not far behind. With the change of seasons, my food thoughts turn from light summertime meals to heartier, more robust fare, and one of my favorites is stew. More than a soup and yet not quite a casserole, savory stews fit the bill for hearty and delicious, yet easily prepared, one dish meals.
Cooking foods slowly in a pot is one of the oldest methods of cooking. Even before abandoning his nomadic traveling to take up residence in caves, early man would throw all the ingredients for a meal into a pot and simmer the mixture until even the toughest meat would become tender. As man explored the world seeking new frontiers, he traveled with his cooking pot so that now every country and every culture has their own version of this very basic dish.
There are a number of reasons why stews have remained so popular. First, they are easy on the budget. The flavor of tough, inexpensive cuts of meat is improved by long slow cooking as well as turning tough into tender. And long slow cooking is the key to a good stew.
Stews are also great time savers in these hectic days. After the initial prep work is done and everything is in the pot, slow cooking stews require little or no attention. Two appliances that can help save even more time are the pressure cooker, which can help cut prep time, and the crock pot, which doesn’t even need to be watched while cooking. In addition, because stews freeze well, it’s easy to make large batches and freeze a portion, thus saving meal preparation time in the future.
Because they can be made ahead of time, stews are a great choice for entertaining. Stews that are allowed to sit in the refrigerator for a day before serving actually improve in flavor. (This is another key to preparing a good stew; make the stew ahead of time and allow it to sit for a day.) In addition, they require very little last minute work, so you can spend more time with your guests. The addition of a salad, and a starch such as rice or noodles, is usually all that is needed to complete the meal.
Eating hearty doesn’t have to mean eating heavy. Many of today’s stews are light, spicy, and very filling as evidenced by the following recipes. So search out your old neglected crock pot, dust it off, and make yourself a spicy, satisfying pot of stew.
I couldn’t present a collection of stew recipes without including my all-time favorite, green chile stew. In the late summer when the aroma of the new crop of chile being roasted is in the air, I start thinking of this stew. Prepare a large batch as it freezes well, so you can enjoy meals of this wonderful stew throughout the upcoming cold months.
1 ½ pounds lean pork, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
Vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart pork or chicken broth
6 to 8 New Mexican green chiles, roasted, peeled and cut in thin strips
2 small tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
Salt to taste
Flour tortillas, optional
In a heavy skillet, brown the pork over medium to medium-high heat, adding a little oil if needed. When the pork is browned, transfer it to a large stockpot. Add the onions and some more oil to the same skillet and saute until the onions turn a golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer the mixture to the pot with the pork.
Add 2 cups of broth to the skillet, raise the heat, and deglaze the skillet, being sure to scrape all the bits and pieces from the sides and bottom. Pour the broth over the pork in the stockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the stockpot, bring it to just below boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and starts to fall apart.
Ladle the stew into bowls and serve with warmed flour tortillas.
Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Hot
Vatapa com Frutos do Mar (Brazilian Seafood Stew)
There are just about as many versions of vatapa as there are cooks who prepare it. Just as there are many versions, vatapa can be made with a variety ingredients that can include meat, such as pork, as well as seafood. My version is somewhat lighter than the traditional ones. I’ve eliminated the dende oil, which is a palm oil and can be difficult to find, and substituted coconut milk for the more traditional coconut cream.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, cut in slivers
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 habanero chile, stem and seeds removed, minced, or substitute 3 jalapenos
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon
2 bottles clam juice
2 cups water
1 pound firm fish fillets, cut in 1 ½ inch cubes
1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup chopped roasted cashew nuts
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
In a large stock pot, heat the oil and saute the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chile, and bay leaf for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the lime, lemon, clam juice, and 2 cups of water to the onion mixture. Add the fish, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the fish is almost done. Add the shrimp and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes or until both are done. Remove the seafood and keep warm.
Stir in the coconut milk and tomatoes, bring to just below boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or more to thicken.
Return the seafood to the stockpot, stir in the cashews and simmer until the fish is heated.
Ladle the stew into bowls, garnish with the cilantro and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
Hungarian Gulyas (Goulash)
This dish probably had its roots with the roving Magyar tribes of central Europe who cooked their meat and vegetables over campfires in large kettles. If you don’t have hot paprika, increase the heat by adding small dried red chiles, rather than adding too much paprika, as it can make the stew too sweet. Serve this hearty stew with a pickled beet salad and a dark rye bread..
5 tablespoons hot paprika
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 pound boneless beef chuck or stew meat, cut in 1 ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in thin slices
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
6 small dried red chiles such as piquin
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 quart beef broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups cooked egg noodles
Garnish: Sour cream
Chopped fresh parsley
Combine 4 tablespoons of the paprika and the black pepper with the flour and mix well. Add the beef and toss to coat the meat. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the seasoned flour.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet until medium hot, add the beef and brown. Remove the cubes and place in a large stockpot.
Add the onions to the skillet, along with a little more oil and saute until they are browned. Remove and place in the stockpot.
Add the carrots, potatoes, chiles, caraway seeds, remaining paprika and broth to the stockpot. Bring to just under boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for an hour or more until the meat is very tender and the vegetables are done. Taste and season with salt and pepper and more paprika, if desired.
Divide the noodles among the bowls and ladle in the stew. Place a dollop of sour cream on top, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
Fiery Groundnut Chop (Chicken and Peanut Stew)
The use of peanuts, also called groundnuts, in soups and stews is common over all of Africa but is especially popular in the west. "Chop" is African slang meaning food or a meal. The vegetables in this stew can be varied to suit your tastes; if you do, however, eliminate the okra it will alter the consistency of the sauce. The important step to remember in preparing this soup or stew is to mix some of the broth with the peanut butter before adding to the soup to keep it from curdling and breaking apart.
4 to 6 pieces of chicken, such as legs or thighs
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons peanut oil, or substitute vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 to 4 jalapenos, stems and seeds removed, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
Pinch ground cumin
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup diced yams or potatoes
1 cup frozen okra or green beans
1 cup smooth peanut butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts
Rub the ground ginger over the chicken pieces.
In a heavy casserole, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken and brown, turning frequently so they don’t burn. Remove and keep warm.
Pour off all but a tablespoon of the oil, add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Add the jalapenos, garlic, and ginger and saute for a couple of minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the curry powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and 1 cup of the broth. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, scraping any remaining bits and pieces from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat, add the remaining broth and chicken pieces, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the yams and okra and continue to simmer until the vegetables are just tender and the chicken is done, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add more broth and water if needed.
Mix the peanut butter with 1 cup of cold water to make a smooth paste. Add ½ cup of stew liquid to the paste and mix well. Stir this mixture into the stew and continue simmering until the stew is hot and the chicken is done.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Hot
Jambalaya is one of the most popular foods in the bayous of Louisiana. It was originally created by cooks cleaning out the icebox and using what foods were leftover; the term jambalaya even means mix of food or events, so whatever mix of meats and seafood you like, are appropriate. The word got its name from the French word jambon for ham, which the dish traditionally contains. The following recipe doesn’t contain any, but if you have some cooked ham in the refrigerator, dice some and add it to the pot.
1 large bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken or fish broth
1 ½ cups tomato sauce
½ cup dry white wine, optional
1 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnishes: Chopped green onions, chopped fresh parsley
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Saute the bell pepper, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in the oil until softened, about 5 minutes. . Add the cayenne, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves and saute for an additional 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add the broth, tomato sauce, and wine, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for a half an hour.
In a small frying pan, heat the remaining oil until hot. Add the rice and fry, stirring constantly, until it becomes opaque. Add to the stock pot and simmer for an additional 30 to 45 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Stir in the shrimp and simmer for 5 minutes or until the shrimp is done.
Ladle the jambalaya into bowls, garnish with the green onions and parsley, and serve with a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce on the side.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Medium
