Stew Two Ways

Alright.

I created this post a week ago.

This was before.

When we were innocent.

When the families of 27 people weren’t working through the horror of something they should never have had to experience.

When a town wasn’t filled with tears and the entire world mourned with them wishing there was a way to erase what had happened.

I wish I had control over time.

But I don’t.

So instead of thinking of this post as a quick family meal on the run. 

I’m looking at it as comfort.

And sometimes comfort is in short supply.

Hug your loved ones-tell them often that they are the most important thing in the world and have something cosy to eat.

I’ve tinkered with this recipe for awhile and I think that I’ve nailed it now. 

Just dump everything in-set it on high for 6 hours and you are set to go.

Here’s the list: 1 lb. stewing beef, 1 T curry paste, 3 anchovies, 1 onion (I used a nice leek because I had it but it is totally not required), 2 cups small potatoes, 2 cups mushrooms, 2 carrots, 1 cup red wine, 5 cups beef broth, 1 tsp rosemary, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp chipotle, 1 T cocoa, 1 tsp worstershire.

Let everything burble away.  20 minutes before you are ready to eat take 1/4 cup cornstarch and mix a cup of broth.  Let thicken and enjoy with lots of homemade bread.

I know, that is totally yummy.

How about a little reinvention?

I rolled out a sheet of puff pastry 1 1/2 ft x 2 ft… I added 1/4 cup of stew and egg washed around my mounds. Add another layer of puff, cut around the circles and seal the edges.  I tried two different methods (forking the edges and tucking them under after pressing and both worked well) and they worked equally well. Wash the top with a bit of milk and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Lovely, Chipotle Stew Hand Pies.

We had these for dinner and took them for lunch to work the next day. 

Truly wonderful AND what I’ll do next time is make small ones and serve them as appetizers.