Lydias Portuguese Beef Stew Recipes

CAçOILA | PORTUGUESE STEWED BEEF

Steps:

• The day before cooking, in a large bowl, coat the beef with the crushed red pepper, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• About 4 hours before you intend to sit down at the table, scatter the onion slices, parsley, garlic, and bay leaves in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Tuck the allspice and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth tied together with kitchen twine or in a tea ball and toss them in the Dutch oven. If desired, season the beef with salt. Place the beef on top and dot with the butter or lard.
• In a measuring glass or bowl, stir together the wine, tomato paste, and cinnamon and pour it over the beef.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the meat is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pieces occasionally. For a more stew-like version, keep the lid on for the duration of cooking. For a more concentrated, glaze-like sauce version, about halfway through cooking, remove the lid to let some of the liquid evaporate so the sauce can concentrate in consistency and flavor.
• Remove the bay leaves and the cheesecloth pouch or teaball. If desired, serve the caçoila with boiled white potatoes, roasted red peppers, and cooked greens. Originally published May 10, 2001.

LIDIA BASTIANICH - BEEF IN SGUAZET (BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• Soften the dried porcini about 30 minutes in a cupful of warm water, trim, and reserve the strained liquid.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions for about 10 minutes over medium-high heat, until transparent.
• Add the bones, meat, bay leaves, cloves, salt, pepper and paprika, and sauté 10 minutes longer.
• Add the wine, raise the heat, and cook about 10 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half.
• Add the tomato paste and the porcini.
• Stir slowly and thoroughly, and add the reserved mushroom liquid.
• Simmer five minutes.
• Add half the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens, about two hours.
• As the mixture cooks, add the remaining stock little by little.
• When the sguazet is finished, there should be about 6 cups of thick, chunky sauce.
• Serve with pasta, polenta or rice.

MOM'S PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Dust the beef with the flour. Place the beef, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper in the stockpot; cook until the beef is brown; season with salt and cook until beef is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper, carrot, and paprika; cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato, wine, water, and parsley. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.
• Mix in the red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and green beans; continue to cook until potatoes are easily pierced through with a fork, about 45 minutes.

PORTUGUESE SPICED BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add in the beef (may need to do this in batches), cook until meat is browned, stirring frequently.
• Transfer beef to 4 quart slow-cooker; season with salt and pepper.
• Add a little more oil to the skillet (if needed) and saute the onions for 4 minutes or until softened.
• Add in the garlic and saute 1 minute.
• Add in the red wine, tomato paste, pickling spices, and bay leaf.
• Let simmer and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet as you stir.
• Remove skillet from heat; stir in tomatoes with juice.
• Pour mixture into slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.
• Skin any fat from surface of stew.
• To serve: put bread chunks into individual serving bowls; pour stew over bread and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with fresh mint if desired and serve.

MOOD BEEF (PORTUGUESE BEEF STEW)

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or heavy skillet heat the olive oil over high heat.
• Season the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper.
• Saute the beef, in batches if necessary so that the pan is not crowded, until well-browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onion and green peppers to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and caramelized around the edges, about 6 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add the tomatoes, water, bay leaf, crushed red pepper and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Return the beef to the pan and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is very tender.
• Add the ditalini to the gravy and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
• Add the parsley. Serve immediately.