One of the great joys and challenges of running a local food subscription is finding weekly recipes that use local ingredients, are approachable for different skill levels, and are unique from one delivery to the next. This one has become a favorite winter Sunday meal in our house. Though I’ve made changes to the original recipe, I must give credit to Andrea Bemis, Oregon farmer and cookbook author, for the inspiration.
The use of warming spices like cinnamon and turmeric provides a lovely twist on classic beef stew.
Make substitutions as you need to: Use elk or bison shoulder roasts instead of beef; use rutabaga, parsnip, or potatoes if you can’t find purple-top turnips; red or yellow onions work just fine in place of shallots. Whenever possible, use local ingredients.
SERVES 4
1 pound stew beef, preferably chuck
2–3 medium shallots
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 medium purple-top turnips
2 medium carrots
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons safflower oil, olive oil, or whatever you like to cook with
½ cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
Handful of fresh parsley, cilantro, or microgreens to garnish (optional)
Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces. Slice the shallots into half-moons and mince the garlic. Measure out the tomato paste and spices into a small bowl and set aside. Peel the turnips. Dice both turnips and carrots into bite-sized pieces.
In a bowl, coat the beef pieces with salt, pepper, and flour. Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over mediumhigh heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and, when it’s shimmering, add the beef and brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 4 minutes. You may want to work in 2 batches. Transfer browned beef to a plate or bowl and set aside.
Turn heat down to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil followed by the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and, a few seconds later, add the tomato paste and spices.
Cook, stirring constantly until the garlic and spices are fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the wine and continue stirring, loosening any browned bits that stick to the bottom.
Return beef to the pot, followed by the broth. Bring everything to a simmer, cover, and let cook gently for 1½ hours, or until the meat is getting tender. Add the carrots and turnips, then cover and simmer gently for another 20–30 minutes, or until both meat and vegetables are tender to your liking. Taste and adjust for salt, if needed.
Serve with a garnish of fresh-chopped parsley. A hunk of bread or a fresh biscuit is ideal for scooping out the last of the stew.
