Mar 7, 2012

Beef, ginger & honey stew


It's been a strange old summer here. While there have certainly been a few hot days and also some steamy humid days, much of summer was marked with rain and quite a few cool days. Where we live up in the mountains, it is usually a bit cooler no matter the time of year compared with Sydney. There have been days during summer I would have considered to be soup days. But I hung on and stuck to the mostly lighter summer fare, somehow unable to cook hearty cool weather dishes until at least the calendar said Autumn had arrived.


I love the arrival of autumn and it is by far my favourite season for cooking. I love the slight crispness in the air and how it draws me ever closer to the kitchen. I can happily spend much of the weekend pottering around the kitchen with a pot bubbling away slowly. Or I am very happy with coffee cup in one hand, flicking through one of my recipe books and seeking inspiration for the next dish.


So with the arrival of autumn, I was absolutely hanging out for the first cool day when I could make something hearty and warming. As good as the summer salads were with all their infinite variety, by the end of summer I am really loooking to cook something more substantial not to mention slow cooked.


I decided on this beef, ginger and honey stew which is slow cooked for an hour and a half to produce a luscious stew and tender falling apart beef. The ingredients here are an inspiration from the many Asian ingredients in my pantry and the ginger I had bought from the green grocer that morning.


Beef, ginger & honey stew
Serves 4

Ingredients:
600g beef (I used rump but use any cheaper cut of meat in this dish), diced
2 large carrots. Sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2cm ginger, finely chopped
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs honey
1 Tbs Chinese cooking wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp dried chilli (optional)
1 ½ cups beef stock
Pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs plain flour

1. In a heavy based saucepan, heat the olive oil and brown the beef in batches. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
2. To the pan in a little olive oil, sauté the vegetables, chilli (if using), garlic and ginger for a few minutes.
3. Return the beef to the pan with the vegetables. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the soy sauce, wine, honey, sesame oil, pepper and stock. Allow to come to a simmer.
5. Place on a lid and simmer on very low heat for about 1.5 hours until the meat is very tender.
6. Serve with rice or noodles if desired.

15 comments:

lisa is cooking said...

I love the start of a new season and the change in cooking that comes with it. The ginger in this stew sounds like a great addition!

yummychunklet said...

What a cozy and tasty looking stew!

tania@mykitchenstories said...

Yes I have been looking forward to moving on in seasons too. i love this simple yet tasty dish. Beef and ginger are lovely

marthameetslucy said...

That stew sounds yummy! I love ginger and honey, but after living off ginger-honey-lemon water last week it might be awhile before I make it.

Anna @ The Littlest Anchovy said...

I love this combination and this looks so comforting. I wish I had a bowl now on this rainy day :)

JasmyneTea said...

Yum, this is delicious genius! I'll have to try this, I reckon it'll be amazing :)

The Food Mentalist said...

So delicious & hearty - perfect for this crazy cold weather we are having here in Sydney.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

The weather is so confused isn't it? Today was just crazy! And tonight would be perfect for this stew :)

Helen (Grab Your Fork) said...

Summer? What summer! I am looking forward to cooler weather though, just so we can break into the comfort food all over again!

OohLookBel said...

Great recipe. I've been stockpiling stews/hearty food ideas and this is ideal.

Cakelaw said...

This stew sounds delicious - and stews are one of the only things I like about the cooler weather.

Asmita said...

Hi Anna,
This stew looks so delicious and comforting. Nothing like a big bowl of stew, perfect.

Eileen said...

This sounds super comforting for a chilly night. A great plan for winter--not that we've had much winter at all in California! :)

Jocie's Mom said...

You're making me wish it was cool here! That stew sounds lovely :)

Anne@FromMySweetHeart said...

Hi Anna! It's so wild to hear you speak of the start of autumn when we are just starting spring! Our days have been erratic though...warm one day and then freezing for the next 3! This is a beautiful stew and will be absolutely perfect on our next rainy day! I love the addition of ginger in this recipe...so warm and comforting! : )