Preheat oven to 200°F. Place meat in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large nonreactive soup kettle; add meat to pan in two batches (if needed.) Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil if necessary. Transfer meat to a platter.
Add onions to pot; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté for about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour and cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to pan. Add chicken broth, bay leaves and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat and return to a simmer. Cover and place in oven, and simmer until meat is just tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Stew can be cooled at this point, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
Before serving, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a steamer pot. Place carrots in steamer basket and lower into pot. Steam until just tender, about 6 minutes.
Add steamed carrots and uncooked peas to fully cooked stew; cover and let stand to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings and serve.
Labels: Main Dishes
Labels: Dips and Appetizers
One of my favorite winter fruits to work with is pineapple. Sweet, juicy pineapples are almost always available. I slice the pineapple and roast it for just 10 minutes, then top it with a strawberry sauce made with frozen berries. It’s a delicious combination and could just as easily be served at a Sunday breakfast or brunch. It also happens to be fat-free.
To make it a little more indulgent, add a scoop of nonfat or low-fat frozen yogurt.
Frozen strawberries are less expensive and better-tasting than the strawberries shipped in from warmer parts of the world. Cooking the berries gives them a deep, wonderful flavor. The sauce is easy to prepare and can even be made a few days in advance. It makes a wonderful topping for yogurt, cottage cheese and pancakes.
Refrigerate any leftover sauce for up to 1 week.
6 servings
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the strawberries, sugar and water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat; cover partially so the saucepan lid is slightly ajar. Cook until the berries thaw, then uncover and cook until the berries are soft, allowing the mixture to maintain a low boil. In all, the process will take about 25 minutes.
Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, then add to the saucepan, stirring until the mixture comes back to a low boil. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
While the sauce is cooling, line 1 or 2 large rimmed baking sheets (depending on the size of the pineapple) with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Lay the pineapple slices on the prepared sheet(s) in a single layer, then roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until any excess liquid has evaporated and the slices look dry. (They should not be brown.)
Use a large spoon to mash the cooled berries against the sides of their saucepan to form a slightly chunky sauce. Add the vanilla extract; taste and add sugar as needed.
Divide the pineapple slices among individual plates. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the sauce down the center of the slices and serve warm.
Labels: Sweet tooth