Dark cold nights means warm, cozy meals am I right? 

 

There’s nothing better than a beautiful stew to keep you going. And the great thing about a stew is there’s so many possibilities and really no rules. You can make it your own. Here’s a few tips that might help you experiment a little. 

 

 

Think about what flavours you want? Something earthy, something spicy, something lighter?

 

Pork works great with apples, pears, caramelized onions, sage

Beef loves bay leaf, red wine, mushrooms

Chicken loves lemon, olives, roasted garlic

Fish or seafood is best friends with white wine, fennel, chilies, coconut milk 

Lamb goes brilliantly with cumin, coriander, dried apricots, fresh ginger

Beans and root vegetables love heartier herbs like rosemary, sage

And if you want to go big think about spices that pack a punch like smoked paprika with red meats or saffron with fish or chicken

 

 

Once you pick your ingredient you want to think about what cut of meat and the kind of veggies or beans that work best.

 

Cuts of meat - because of the longer cooking time you can buy cheaper cuts of meat which are often times even more flavourful. It’s also a more sustainable way of eating. Try neck roasts, stew meat, beef or lamb shanks, short ribs, chicken things and/or legs

Mix up more expensive seafood like halibut or monkfish with mussels and clams. You’ll save money and even better it mixes up the texture.

Dried beans - if you’ve never cooked with dried beans, you should give them a go. It’s best to soak them overnight before you start cooking

Root vegetables - you want to use vegetables that are sturdy and will stand up to longer cooking like squash, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, rutabaga, or yams

 

 

These are ingredients that will bulk up your stew, not only mixing up textures again but also helping your stew go further. 

 

Grains like barley, rice, even pasta

Chickpeas, lentils, and beans 

Potatoes or other root veggies noted above

All of these will soak up the liquid so you may need to add more and change up the timing to keep them from getting overcooked and mushy

 

 

Use any of these to thicken things up

 

Tomato paste

Coating meat in flour before you sear 

Cornstarch mixed with a bit of water added in at the end of cooking

Making a roux (a flour and butter mixture that’s cooked usually at the beginning)

Peanut butter or other nut butter if you’re making a spicy stew

 

 

I always say you eat with your eyes first so make it look pretty. These ingredients also add extra texture and flavour

 

Dumplings

Crispy herbed breadcrumbs

Sour cream or yogurt

Fresh herbs

Pesto 

Chili oil

Fried shallots

Sliced radishes or green onions

Grated parmesan or other cheese

Crusty bread

 

Now go experiment!