Red Curry Beef Stew

Spring may be peeking demurely around the corner in Brooklyn, but not too long ago, we seemed to be getting the Blizzard of the Year weekly.  To prepare for the most recent of those storms, I turned to the crockpot to keep us warm and fed during the blizzard days and the cold ones that followed.  Particularly, beef stew.  I have loved beef stew since I was a little girl, especially my grandmother's which I used to request as a birthday dish, even in May (the rest of my family fired up the grill....I guess I wasn't so seasonal then!).

This time around, I thought I would try to create a new twist, yet another attempt to bring one of my more simply flavored family dishes into my husband's stomach which, as is by now well documented here, craves Asian flavors.  In the cold weather, I also like some extra spice and so the Red Curry Beef Stew was born. 

With some lovely local red creamer potatoes, frozen green beans, and a zucchini just screaming for use, the dish came together in the crockpot quickly and allowed me to stare at the snow for the afternoon.  I've always got at least one or two cans of coconut milk and various jars of curry paste or bean paste around to make a quick basic coconut curry.  With all of the vegetables, it really is a one dish meal, but a green salad could lend some crunch and freshness to the meal if you so desire.  Feel free to experiment with the vegetables as well - the onions are really the only must here because they really add a lot of nice flavor. 

Red Curry Beef Stew

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2.5 lbs cubed sirloin tips (or any stew meat)
• 3 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lb. red creamer potatoes, cut into chunks or left whole if small enough
• 1 can light coconut milk
• 2-4 tbsp. red curry paste (I like 4, but 2 gives good flavor without too much kick)
• 2 hot chilis, sliced (optional, remove seeds for lighter spice and omit entirely if desired)
• 3 tbps fish sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1-2 cups green beans, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost if frozen)
• 1 zucchini, cut into half moon slices

1. Heat olive oil in saute pan.  Add beef cubes and brown on at least two sides. 
2. Layer onions, beef, chilis and potatoes in crockpot (mine is about 3 quarts).
3. Mix coconut milk, curry paste, sugar and fish sauce well in a bowl.  Pour mixture over crockpot ingredients.
4. Turn on low for 7-8 hours.
5. Add beans and zucchini in last 30 minutes of cooking.
6. Serve with rice or noodles.

Southwestern Beef Brisket and Broccoli Slaw

In lieu of resolutions, I've made a list of things I'd like to get done over a longer period of time than just 2010.  It allows me to dream a little bit bigger and think a bit outside of the box.  Two such goals, however, stick pretty close to come.  I'd like to keep trying new recipes to work through the mountain that I amass througout the year and to use the crockpot more since a busy schedule can sometimes thwart the original goal.

Over the New Years weekend, I got a good start on both.  Over at The Smitten Kitchen, I found a recipe for a Southwestern Pulled Beef Brisket which was the perfect creation for a lazy sunday.  I braved the harsh cold on the coldest day of the winter so far to procure 3.5lbs of beef brisket from Trader Joe's.  I'll spare the discourse on where meat comes from, but needless to say, I'm putting mroe faith in TJ's than I normally would for the sake of convenience once again. 

My wise auntie MJ told me that crockpot recipes actually fare best when more prep is done before the meal.  I completely agree.  The fix-it-and-forget-it part of the crockpot really just allows you to timeshift the work, and as with any good meal, a little advance prep can go a long way.  This recipe isn't terribly prep heavy, but the little things that are required make a big difference.

First, I seared the meat for about 5 minutes per side in just a bit of good olive oil.  Then, to the drippings, I added 6 smashed garlic cloves and one onion, sliced thin.  Once this got fragrant, I added a good dose of chili powder, ground coriander and cumin.  The fragrance just gets better! Next, I added the apple cider vinegar.  Smitten Kitchen warns to keep your nose out of the vinegar, but I have this weird vinegar love and so, for me alone, this again took everything a step up.  A little water added makes this concoction ready for pouring over the beef which is nestled in its little pot.

To this, I added about 6 ounces worth of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.  Note this amount.  The recipe recommends 1-2 cans of chipotle peppers.  I found in my local grocery store that there are the 12 ounce cans which I buy and then some smaller value.  I believe the estimate in this recipe is thinking about the smaller cans.  6 ounces gave the recipe a lot of kick.  Not too hot and very enjoyable, but not for the faint of heart. We like spice here in Brooklyn.

The recipe also calls for whole tomatoes with which I substituted crushed tomatoes in puree. I don't think it made a significant difference and that's what I had lying around the pantry.  Finally, a bit of molasses is thrown in the pot as well.  I don't think it needs to be mixed because the heat and the bubbling make the sauce for you, but I did mix things up a bit just to make sure all of the great flavors got near the beef.

After 9 hours on low heat, the brisket fell apart at the touch of a fork.  The heat was gorgeous with a hint of sweetness and a bit of spice.  I served the sandwiches on whole wheat buns with a side of broccoli slaw (yes, TJ's came through once again with a pre-cut slaw mix jazzed up by me - recipe below).  Delicious and a great way to heat up a very cold night!

Broccoli Slaw

• 2 cups shredded broccoli slaw mix (found at Trader Joe's - made with stems and carrots)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine.  Toss.  Taste (the measurements are inexact since I dashed a bit of everything). Adjust. Serve.