Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

A few wks ago I went foraging in the woods with a friend and brought back Chantrelle and Bolete mushrooms. It was late and I was tired when I got home so I decided to just clean them up and dehydrate them. I wasn't sure when I was going to use these dried ones since I rarely use that kind. But I had thawed some stew beef the other day and it needed to be used. So I wandered online looking for something interesting to use them in and found this on Pioneer Woman's site. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/beef-stew-with-mushrooms/

Since I never make a recipe the same as the one I find, this is my version.....

 Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew serves 4

    2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (mine was chuck so it needed longer cooking)
    4 Tablespoons Flour
    4 Tablespoons Butter
    2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
    2 whole Shallots, peeled, coarsely chopped
    3 cloves Elephant Garlic, peeled and sliced thin
    8 ounces, Baby Bella Mushrooms, cut in half then sliced
    Dried mushrooms, whatever kind you like, approx. 1 oz or       to taste
    1/2 cup Red Wine
    1 can Beef Broth
    Salt And Pepper, to taste
    Pasta - Cooked And Drained
    2-4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
    1c. Frozen Peas

 Put dried mushrooms in a microwaveable bowl and cover with water. Microwave 3 min. or till water is hot and steamy. Let them sit while you prepare fresh mushrooms, garlic and shallots. 

Sprinkle flour and some S & P over the meat. Mix well to coat the beef. Melt the butter and add the oil in a lg. dutch oven. When hot add the beef and brown well.  

 Remove beef and if necessary add a bit more oil, then add garlic and shallots. Saute a couple min. till shallots are beginning to soften. 

 Then add fresh mushrooms, stir and let cook another minute or so. Add beef broth, red wine and dried mushrooms with their liquid . (lots of flavor there, don't waste it). Stir and then add the beef and stir well. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Top with thyme and cover. Let simmer about an hr. and a half. Test the beef at that time to see if it is tender.

When its tender, add the peas and start the water for your pasta. I used egg noodles, about a half of a lg. pkg. Drain noodles and top with the stew to serve.

Seas Chili Verde

Brown about 4lbs of pork , cut into chunks in a large pot in some oil. Do it in batches if you have to.


You want it browned, it adds so much more to the flavor. Put any browned in a bowl or plate and finish with the rest. I sprinkle mine with salt and pepper too while doing that .


Now chop one large onion and two garlic cloves. Add to pot while browning last batch of pork.


Add two cans of Green Chili sauce (enchilada), a can of chopped chilies and some water to cover. Bring to a boil then simmer. Add a good handful of chopped cilantro. I found this great product. Its fresh herbs in a tube. I keep it on hand when I don't have fresh in the house. Cilantro I don't use as much so having it this way is awesome. I put in a good squeeze or two and stir it in then simmer till the pork is falling apart tender, maybe 2hrs. Meanwhile cook some rice. How much depends on you. For this batch I used 3c. raw then cooked it to have enough for all this.


Towards the end I like to add a bit more cilantro to brighten the flavor. I like to simmer this uncovered until the sauce thickens. When pork is tender.......serve. We like to serve this over rice topped by sour cream and guacamole. My bf likes to add cheese on top. Sometimes I make burritos from this and freeze them for lunches. You could serve with refried beans but we find this is enough for us. This made 6 hearty servings.

VENISON AND MUSHROOM STEW

This is a rich luscious stew that I made yrs ago and just adore! Haven't made in in ages since I can't seem to get any venison but once I get up to Oregon you bet Ill be making it. Recipe calls for juniper berries which is usual to cut the gamey flavor of deer but I didn't have it when I made this so I just used Gin. The alcohol all cooks off anyway but the flavor remains.

Venison and Mushroom Stew

6 shallots, chopped fine
3/4 lb. bacon, chopped
1c. lard, recipe calls for this I don't have it. I use whatever I want, butter, oil, whatever. This is the one place to cut back on garbage in your recipe real ez.
3c. dry red wine, If you can drink it you can cook with it
6oz. can tomato paste, dissolved in 1c. beef broth
3c. brown stock or beef broth, I used beef broth, easier to get
2 1/4lb. mushrooms, I used button mushrooms but some nice crimini or morels would be good too.
3 tb. juniper berries, crushed ( or Gin)
Cheesecloth bag with 1 bay leaf, a pinch of thyme, pinch of sage, pinch of rosemary and the grated rind of 1 orange.
6lbs. of boneless shoulder of venison, cut into 1 1/2in. cubes
Flour for dredging
Buttered noodles

Directions:
In a kettle cook shallots and bacon in 1/2c.lard over med. heat, stirring 8min. Add wine, tomato paste mixture, garlic, stock, mushrooms, juniper berries, cheese cloth bag and orange rind. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20min. Season venison with salt and pepper and dredge in flour, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, sear the meat in batches in remaining half cup lard over med. high heat and transfer to the kettle. Bake the stew, covered with foil and the lid in a preheated very hot oven (450degrees) for 1hr. and 45min. or till the meat is very tender. Discard cheesecloth bag and garnish with parsley. Serve with noodles.

Oven Beef Stew

I made beef stew last nite. Its one of my boyfriends favorite meals. I make this with more meat than it says because he likes a meaty stew. He loves this so much that when I make it he will even take it for lunch often so I make alot and freeze the rest in small containers so he can microwave it at work. I found this recipe many yrs ago when I was first married. My mom used to make stew on the stove top and I tried to use her recipe but it always scorched and burned and I didn't like it. My mom is not the greatest cook either. She has her specialties but that's about it. Now my dad cooks all the time. I don't think she misses it and dad's a really good cook. Dad even took this recipe and adapted it to the microwave for himself. I don't cook much in the microwave, I don't like it. I mostly use it to reheat. So here's the recipe and pics. I make way more than the recipe calls for so don't expect it to look like as much as mine. I used 5lbs of stew meat, and 1 1/2 times the amt. of veggies and double the spices,etc. but still only 2 cans broth, but yours will look like this in the different stages. What I love about this recipe is I can make a great dinner and not have to watch it.

OVEN BEEF STEW SERVES 6
1 bag (12 oz.) frozen chopped onions or 4-5 onions chopped
2lbs. stew meat, cubed ( I cut stew meat from the store into about 1/2-3/4in. cubes)
1/4 c. soy sauce
3/4 tsp. salt-1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
6tb. flour
2 cans (10 1/2oz. each) condensed beef broth (must be this not bouillon)
4 lg. potatoes , cut up
4 lg. carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced diagonally
1c. peas or 1 (8oz.) pkg. whole mushrooms (optional)

Layer onions on the bottom of a roasting pan after chopping. Top with cubed meat and sprinkle with soy sauce, salt and pepper, paprika and flour. Pour broth from both cans over all. (I found this makes alot of gravy that's not as thick as I like so I add another 2-4 tb. flour depending on how thick you like your stew. It will also thicken up more by the next day.) You dont have to stir it in. It makes the gravy as it bakes, I love it! If all the flour isnt absorbed when you take it out, then stir the rest in real good.

Cover pot and bake in oven set at 350 degrees for 1hr. Remove to add veggies.

Stir in cut up veggies. (I like to cut them up while the meat is cooking and put in a bowl till the hour is up. Then all I have to do is dump them in and stir.) Bake 1hr. more covered.

Remove cover and bake 1/2 hr or longer till vegetables are tender. Its also a good time to check on gravy thickness because without the cover it will continue to thicken. If you add too much flour tho you can thin it down with some water or more broth. Its pretty forgiving. In this last half hr. you can also add the peas. If you add mushrooms, I quarter them before adding. We like everything fairly bite size.

The original recipe didn't call for peas or mushrooms but I like them and use them if I have them. I just toss the frozen peas right in so they don't over cook. I did add mushrooms this time because I had some in the house, no peas around here last nite tho.