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Comforting for body and soul, stews are also fairly hard to mess up. That makes them appealing for both an easy weeknight meal and for entertaining, when you want to keep kitchen time to a minimum while pleasing a crowd. Pair these recipes with a salad and maybe some crusty bread or biscuits and you'll have a meal that will make anyone feel cozy on the coldest day.
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Read on for three tasty and simple stews to try this winter, with a meat, fish and vegetarian option in the mix.
A beef stew with Spanish roots
This Spanish stew, layered with rich flavors, is even tastier the day after it's made. It’s a rustic recipe that’s perfect for a crock pot or Dutch oven, says blogger Ayngelina Brogan of the food and travel blog baconismagic.com, who shared her recipe with AARP.
The version is called Chilindron, Brogan says, and if you’re entertaining a crowd, you can make it the day before and reheat it when it’s time to serve.
Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to use a lean cut of beef in this stew, Brogan says. Fat equals flavor, so look for beef cuts with fat marbled throughout that will melt and tenderize while cooking, adding to the stew’s delicious layers.
Chilindron
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 10 small starchy potatoes, cut in half
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon
- 1/2 cup bacon, diced
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped
- 2 cups yellow onion, diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:
1. Remove stewing beef from fridge, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow beef to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
2. Heat cast iron pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, add vegetable oil. When oil shimmers add beef and brown 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cook beef in batches and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add bacon and cook 3 minutes more. Add garlic and cook 45 seconds.