Kimchi Beef Stew with Kale

With kimchi and leftover cooked pot roast in the fridge, this was so easy, and it was SO GOOD. (Not that my kids touched it, but my  husband and I were in heaven.) Asian Style Pot Roast would be ideal here, but any leftover shredded beef would work as long as the seasonings aren't too strong in another direction.

1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chopped kale leaves
3 cups cooked shredded beef
1 cup kimchi
2-3 cups beef stock
1 Tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
Salt and pepper if desired

Heat the sesame oil in a Dutch oven. Add the garlic and kale and saute for 3-5 minutes, until the kale is fairly tender. Add the beef, kimchi, beef stock, and soy sauce and simmer for a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 3-4.

Sweet Potato Taco Bowls

If you liked the Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls, try these - it's a variation on a similar theme. They go together quickly, too, especially if you use a food processor to shred the sweet potatoes. I used leftover Slow Cooker Southwestern Beans in this, which was great, but you can also use plain black beans. And for this or any other purpose, if you happen to spot Sidehill Farm sour cream, buy some!! It is the best sour cream I've ever tasted.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3-4 cups cooked black beans, plain or seasoned with cumin and chili powder

Toppings (use what you like):
Shredded lettuce or other greens
Guacamole
Sour cream
Pickled red onions
Pickled chili peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Shredded cheddar

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and saute over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tender. Set aside.

Cook the beef in a medium skillet. Add cumin and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the black beans. Reheat the sweet potatoes if needed.

To serve, place sweet potatoes in the bottom of each diner's bowl, then add spoonfuls of beef, beans, and toppings.

Serves about 4.

Sweet Potato Fajita Bowls

These were a big success. I really like the bowl form factor - you get different combinations of flavors and textures in each bite, plus they look pretty. This one came together pretty quickly, too. A food processor makes quick work of shredding the sweet potatoes. It's a great use for leftover cooked beef or chicken, or you can cook some up specifically. Leftover Spicy Latin-Style Vinegar-Braised Beef would be especially excellent. Be sure to serve with at least some of the recommended toppings.

Olive oil
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (or shred with the sweet potatoes)
2 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
2 large sweet peppers, cut into strips (2 inches or so is good)
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups cooked beef (steak, pot roast, etc) or chicken, diced or shredded and heated

Toppings:
Sour cream
Guacamole or diced avocado
Pickled hot peppers
Salsa
Hot sauce
Lime wedges

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the shredded sweet potatoes and garlic and saute over medium high heat until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the pan.

Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the onions and peppers. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions soften and both onions and peppers are nicely browned and a bit charred in places. Stir in the cumin and salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Make sure all elements of the bowls are hot before serving. To assemble the bowls, place a good serving of sweet potato in the bottom, then top with spoonfuls of peppers and onions and meat. Add desired toppings at the table. At least one creamy-textured topping (i.e. guacamole or sour cream) strongly recommended.

Serves about 4.

Korean Beef Bowl with Kale

This made a nice change of pace from our usual dinners, and it went together very simply. By all means serve with kimchi if you can manage it. If not, provide hot sauce and perhaps some quick refrigerator-pickled veggies. If you want to gussy up the presentation a little more, cook and serve the kale separately from the beef. Feel free to substitute cabbage for the kale (it would probably be more authentic anyway). Some scallions wouldn't go amiss either. You can reheat leftover rice or make some fresh.

1 Tbsp sesame oil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 lb kale, well chopped or sliced into thin ribbons
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooked rice for 4
Kimchi for topping

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and shallots (or onion) and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and cook through. Stir in the soy sauce and add the kale. Continue to saute over medium heat until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble the bowls, place rice in the bottom of each bowl and top with beef and kale mixture (or separate servings of beef and kale if you cooked them separately). Add kimchi at the table.

Serves about 4.

Squash Noodle Lasagna

This pasta-less lasagna substitutes thinly sliced summer squash or zucchini for the noodles, and it's delicious. The squash makes a surprisingly good textural substitute, in addition to tasting good and being more nutritious. My squash-avoiding seven-year-old scarfed it down not realizing what he was eating, and my skeptical husband admitted to being wholly won over.

Like most lasagna recipes, this is a bit of a project, best saved for a weekend. The squash slicing is easiest with a mandolin if you have one. Use good local ricotta if you can find it; I got a luscious hand dipped whole milk version from Maplebrook Farm (Vermont) at Green Fields Market.

4 medium summer squash or zucchinis (nice and straight if possible)
Salt
16 ounces ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1 lb ground beef
4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup chopped fresh basil (optional but good)
12 ounces shredded mozzarella

Start by slicing the squash or zucchini lengthwise to about 1/8-inch thick. Lay the slices out on dish towels and salt lightly on both sides. Let sit for 10 minutes or so, then blot dry with another dish towel. You want to remove some of their excess moisture to improve the texture in the lasagna and keep it from getting to soggy. Optionally, you can then bake the slices in a single layer for about 10 minutes at 400 to partially cook and dry them further; I tried this with some of my squash and found I couldn't tell the difference in the end product, so likely won't bother with it again in the future.

While the squash sits exuding moisture, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, and egg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Brown the beef in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, salting it as you do so. Add the tomato sauce and fresh basil and set aside.

When the squash is ready, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9x13-inch pan.

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of squash, placing the slices next to each other as close as possible but not overlapping.

A layer of squash, partway through lasagna assembly

Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over the squash, then top with a third of the mozzarella. Repeat layers in this order (sauce, squash, ricotta, mozzarella) for two more layers. Cover the pan lightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes. Let sit for several minutes before serving.

Serves about 6.

Locavore Tacos

These have been a big hit with my family. I like that you can prepare all the fillings in advance and then just heat and serve at dinner time. I used beef from Freeman Farm, Sidehill Farm sour cream, local cheddar, locally grown and made tortillas from Mi Tierra, and greens and cilantro from my garden. As the season moves along, you can add local tomatoes, onions, and whatever else you like. Mix it up with different kinds of meat or beans. This is a great way to use up leftovers, too - meat, veggies, whatever.

I've been heating the tortillas on the grill several at a time, which is a big improvement over the skillet method.

12 corn tortillas (taco size)
1 lb ground beef
2 cups cooked black or pinto peans
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh onions or scallions
Sour cream
Shredded cheddar or jack cheese
Lettuce or other greens
Cilantro
Salsa or hot sauce

Brown the beef in a medium skillet, adding cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper. When it's done, scoop out the meat and add the beans. Sprinkle with a touch more cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper. If not serving immediately, refrigerate meat and beans.

When you're ready to serve, heat the tortillas just enough to make them pliable and aromatic. Pass fillings and toppings at the table, load up the tortillas, and enjoy!

Serves about 4.

Steak and Bean Soup with Ramps

A good way to use leftover steak. You could also make it with just the beans and ramps for a simpler version. I used dried Marfax beans grown by Crabapple Farm. The cooked remarkably quickly and are one of the creamiest textured beans I've ever had. Delicious. If you don't have heirloom beans handy, I suggest navy beans here.

1 cup dried beans, preferably local
6 cups beef stock
2 garlic cloves
Up to 1 lb leftover steak, sliced very thin then chopped up
1 bunch ramps (about 3 ounces), sliced thin from bulb to leaf
1 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the beans with the beef stock and garlic cloves. I did them in the slow cooker (which only took about 3 hours for the Marfax beans). You could also do this in the pressure cooker or stovetop. When they are done, remove the garlic cloves.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Quickly saute the sliced ramp bulbs and stems, then add the steak and saute just enough to warm it. Add the sliced ramp leaves and saute just long enough to wilt them.

Add the beef and ramp mixture to the beans and stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Ginger Beef Noodle Soup

Don't be shy with the ginger here - use the full amount. And feel free to substitute other vegetables (peppers, celeriac, broccoli, even greens) depending on what you have on hand. You could also skip the beef shanks and make this with leftover pot roast if the seasonings are compatible.

2 lbs beef shanks
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions diced
1/4 cup grated ginger root
2-3 large carrots, sliced into rounds
2-3 cups shelled edamame (frozen is fine)
Beef stock
2 cups egg noodles, rombi, or similar

Preheat the broiler of your oven. Lightly oil the beef shanks all over, then liberally sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Heat a little canola oil in a soup pot, then add the garlic and onion and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the ginger and saute for another minute or two. Add the vegetables, then the browned shanks. Pour in enough beef stock to almost cover the shanks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the beef is very tender.

Remove the shanks from the pot. Discard the bones and connective tissue and shred the meat, then return to the meat to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil and add the noodles, then simmer vigorously until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.  Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serves about 6.

Italian-Style Braised Beef Short Ribs with Rich Tomato Sauce

I will definitely be making this again. Not only is the beef succulent and the sauce rich and deeply flavorful, but leftover sauce makes a perfect pasta sauce. The recipe is deceptively simple, with only tomatoes and garlic going into the braising liquid. But with the spices in the meat rub and the flavor of the beef itself, the end result is layers of savory goodness. Serve this over egg noodles or polenta.

I used tomatoes that I had roasted prior to freezing, which I am sure added to the depth of flavor. But given the long simmering called for here, canned tomatoes or tomatoes frozen raw (thaw them first!) would work well, too. Also: no need to be strict about using short ribs. Other good braising cuts like shanks or various pot roast cuts would work well, too. You can use (say, 2-3 lbs) if you have a boneless cut.

4 lbs beef short ribs
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of cloves
1 tsp dried oregano
7-10 cups tomatoes with their liquid (canned or frozen; thawed if frozen)
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped

Have the short ribs at or near room temperature.  Preheat the broiler of your oven. Place the short ribs on a baking pan with sides (you may with to line it with foil for easier cleanup).

Combine the salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano in a small bowl and mix well. Rub this mixture all over the meat.

Broil the short ribs for 5-8 minutes per side, until nicely browned on both sides.

Place the browned short ribs in a Dutch oven or similar pot. You should be able to get the lid on comfortably, but you don't want a lot of extra room. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2-3 hours (a bit more if you have the time), until the meat is very tender.

When the short ribs are tender, remove them from the pot and set aside.  Using an immersion blender, puree the braising liquid, then return the short ribs to the pot.

Serve the short ribs over egg noodles or polenta with a generous serving of sauce.

Serves 4-6.

Easy and Excellent Slow Cooker Braised Beef

This is the simplest recipe I have developed for braised beef, but it is astonishingly good. You can use shanks, short ribs, or a pot roast cut. To speed the morning preparation, brown the beef the night before and refrigerate. Load everything in the cooker in the morning and revel in your forethought come suppertime.

Braised beef shanks with a side of Maple Walnut Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes

3 lbs beef shanks, short ribs, or similar
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
1 head garlic, unpeeled
3/4 cup dry red wine
Beef stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4-1/2 tsp dried

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel, then lightly oil all over.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over. Place in a baking pan, then brown in the oven for at least 10 minutes per side.  If desired, refrigerate for up to a few days before slow cooking.

Separate the head of garlic into cloves but do not peel. Place the garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Pay the browned beef on top of the garlic. Pour in the red wine, then add enough beef stock to cover the meet about three quarters of the way. Top with the sprigs of thyme or a sprinkling of dried thyme. Cover the cooker and cook on Low for 7-9 hours, until meet is very tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, or with a side of roasted potatoes or root vegetables, with plenty of the braising liquid spooned over the meat.

Serves 4-6.

Curried Beef with Root Vegetables and Spinach

This is one of those dishes that's even better the next day. Hearty and flavorful, chock full of vegetables, it's perfect for a cold November evening. Serve this over brown rice.

Canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp grated or minced ginger root
2-3 tsp garam masala
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, diced
Beef stock
1/3 lb spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp corn starch for thickening (optional)

Heat a little canola oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly, then stir in the garam masala. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir well. Add carrots and potatoes, then add just enough beef stock to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.

If desired, stir together thee corn starch and about 1/3 cup of the broth from the stew, then stir the paste back into the stew and simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency.

Serve stew over rice, preferably brown.

Serves 4-6.

Tangy Shredded Beef and Shiitakes Over Noodles

I don't generally think of June as the prime season for pot roast, but it's good when you get a chilly, rainy weekend.  Then, you can use the leftovers to make this excellent, satisfying ragout.  Be sure to save some of the braising liquid.  You can use a different pot roast recipe than the two suggested, but these are both extra flavorful and work well with the shiitakes.

Canola oil
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise (optional)
About 1 lb leftover Spicy Latin-Style Vinegar-Braised Beef or Asian Style Pot Roast, shredded with a fork
About 1 cup leftover braising liquid (or substitute beef stock)
1/2 lb egg noodles

Heat a little canola oil in a braising pan or other wide bottomed pan.  Saute the shiitakes and onions, if using, until tender, then add the shredded beef and braising liquid and simmer until sauce-y.

While you simmer the beef and mushrooms, cook the egg noodles in a pot of salted boiling water.  Drain and toss with a bit of canola oil.

Serve the beef and mushrooms over a bed of noodles, spooning a bit of extra sauce over the top if there is any.

Serves about 4.

Spicy Latin-Style Vinegar-Braised Beef

The flavors here will take you somewhere zesty and a little Caribbean.  Serve chunks of meat with sauce over noodles, grits, or mashed potatoes, or shred it for tacos.  Feel free to substitute shanks or short ribs for the roast.  This would also be excellent with pork.  This recipe is very loosely adapted (and much simplified) from How to Cook Meat by Christopher Schlesinger and John Willoughby.

2 1/3 - 3 lb pot roast (eye of round, half brisket, rump roast, chuck, etc)
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder (or more to taste)
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celeriac
1 cup red wine vinegar
Beef stock

Remove the roast from the fridge 1-2 hours before you plan to begin cooking.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Combine the garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, black peppers, and 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a small bowl to form a paste.

Pat the roast dry, then spread it all over with this paste. Place the roast in a pan and brown it in the oven, 10-15 minutes per side.

While the roast browns, heat a little olive oil in a Dutch oven.  Add the onions, carrots, and celeriac and saute over medium high heat until nicely browned.  Deglaze the pot with the vinegar.  If needed, remove from heat while the roast finishes browning.  When the roast is browned, add it to the pot with the veggies.  Add beef stock until the liquid covers the meat about three quarters of the way.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer for at least 2-3 hours.  When the meat is done it will be very tender.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot and cut it up.  If desired, strain the cooking liquid, then reduce to make a sauce.  Alternatively, just serve the meat over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or grits with a bit of cooking liquid spooned over it.

Serves 5-6.

Worcestershire Beef Stew

This is a fairly classic beef stew with the Worcestershire sauce amped up for more flavor.  It was inspired by a shepherd's pie dish my husband had at a little restaurant in Jeffersonville, Vermont called 158 Main (try it if you're ever in the area - homey, friendly, good food).  If you like, leave out the potatoes and serve over mashed potatoes.

2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cubed
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
Canola oil
4-5 large garlic cloves, minced
3 medium onions, finely chopped
Beef stock
3 large carrots, diced
1 medium celeriac, diced
5 medium potatoes, diced
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leave
2 Tbsp tomato paste

Place the beef in a bowl and sprinkle with the flour, generous amounts of salt and pepper, and paprika.  Toss until thoroughly coated.

Heat some canola oil in a soup pot.  Add the beef and brown well, stirring a few times to cook on all sides.  Add the garlic and onion and saute for another minute or two, then deglaze the pan with beef stock.  Scrape up all the good brown stuff stuck to the bottom of the pot, as it is full of flavor.  Add carrots, celeriac, and potatoes, then enough additional beef stock to just cover it all.  Add Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour, until the meat is nice and tender (2-3 hours wouldn't be wrong).  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Classic Red Wine-Braised Beef Shanks

Braising beef in red wine is a classic treatment, and with good reason.  I used beef shanks from our cow share, but virtually any good braising cut would work here: shanks, short ribs, even pot roast.  Serve this with mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

2 1/2 - 3 lbs beef shanks (about 3 large)
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 small onion, quartered
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
Beef stock

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Coat the beef all over with oil, then sprinkle liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.  Brown well in the oven, 10-15 minutes per side.  (You can do this on the stovetop if you prefer, but I find it too smoky.)

While the beef browns in the oven, heat a little canola oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot.  Add the garlic, onion, and carrot and brown them a bit.  Stir in the thyme.  When the veggies are browned, deglaze the pan with the wine, then reduce heat to a simmer while you wait (if necessary) for the beef to finish browning.

When the beef is browned, add it to the pot with the vegetables and wine.  Add enough beef stock to cover the meat about three quarters of the way.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer for 2-3 hours.  The beef is done when it is very tender and falling off the bones.

To serve, remove the beef from the pot and separate it from the bones.  Cut into pieces if desired, and remove any excess connective tissue that remains.  If you want to get fancy, you can strain the braising liquid then return it to the stove and reduce it to make a sauce.  Otherwise, just serve the meat over mashed potatoes or noodles with a spoonful of braising liquid poured over.

Serves about 4.

Ginger-Lime Beef Stir-Fry

Did you know that ginger is grown right here in the Valley?  The folks at Old Friends Farm in Amherst grow it and harvest it young.  Among other places, it's available for sale at Green Fields Market.

This quick stir-fry has the flavors of Southeast Asia.  Serve over rice, maybe cooked with coconut milk.

Canola oil
1/4 cup minced ginger root
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (frozen is fine)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs cooked steak, sliced thin
Salt to taste
1 medium lime, in quarters or eighths

Heat some canola oil in a wok or large skillet.  Add the ginger, garlic, and peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the steak and toss to coat well with the seasonings.  Stir fry just long enough to heat through.  Add salt to taste, then sprinkle with the juice of one quarter of the lime and toss again.

Serve hot over rice.  Sprinkle with additional lime juice at the table, giving each diner a piece of lime with which to do so.

Serves 4-6.

Apple Cider Braised Beef with Celeriac

Tart apple cider makes for a sweet but not too sweet, tangy braising liquid, perfect for fall.  If you don't have access to a tart cider (I used the Vintage blend from Clarkdale Fruit Farms), substitute beef stock for part of the cider and add a little cider vinegar at the end if desired.  I used beef shanks, but the recipe would work for any good braising cut - short ribs, brisket, or anything else you'd use for pot roast.  While you could substitute other root vegetables for the celeriac, I recommend using it because the texture and flavor work really well cooked in the cider.  You can serve this over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, or serve it like a stew with some good bread for dipping.

2-3 lbs beef ( such as shanks, short ribs, brisket, etc)
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
1 large tart apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, in wedges
1 large celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
3 cups tart apple cider
Beef stock (if needed)
1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Lightly coat the beef on all sides with oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Brown in the oven for 10 minutes on each side.  (You can also do this on the stovetop, but I personally find it too smoky.)

Heat a little more canola oil in a Dutch oven.  Add the apple, onion, and celeriac and brown them a bit over high heat, stirring often.  Add the browned beef, then pour in the apple cider.  Add beef stock if needed to bring the level of the liquid such that it covers the beef most but not all of the way.  Stir in the mustard.

Bring the braise to a boil, then reduce heat to very low and simmer for at least 2 hours.  When ready to serve, take the beef out of the pot and cut into serving sized pieces, removing any chunks of bone.  Mash the apple chunks with the back of a spoon.  Serve the beef with plenty of liquid and chunks of celeriac.

Serves 4-6.

Chili-Lime Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

We picked up our cow from the slaughterhouse today and split it up among our selves and five other households as usual.  It was a big animal this year, with a share amounting to about 80 pounds, our largest ever.  I had only a handful of cuts left from last year's share in the freezer and am in the process of using them up.  This was our last package of 2011 stew beef.

The flavors of chili and lime give this a flavor of points south, but they are not overwhelming.  Feel free to add more if you like.

1 lb stew beef, cubed
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
Beef stock
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and diced
1/2 cup pearl barley
2-3 tsp lime juice

Place the cubed beef in a bowl with the flour, chili powder, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Toss to coat thoroughly.

Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot.  Add the beef and brown over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or so.  Add enough beef stock to cover a bit generously.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes and barley, bring back to a boil, then again reduce heat and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, until the barley is tender.  Turn off heat and add lime juice.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serves 4-5.

Classic Beef Stew

No exotic spices here, just classic comfort food with plenty of flavor - perfect for a brisk day.  Make this in the middle of the afternoon and let it simmer away over very low heat until dinner time.

2 lbs stew beef, cubed
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Canola oil
3 medium onions, diced
2 1/2 - 3 lbs fingerling potatoes, cubed or in 1/2-inch rounds
3 large carrots, diced or in rounds
Beef stock
1 tsp dried thyme
3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Place the beef in a bowl and toss with the flour, chili powder, and a liberal sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Heat some canola oil in a large pot.  Add the beef and brown well over high heat.  Strong browning action here will produce better flavor for the stew.

When the beef is browned, add the onions and stir well.  Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, as the onions brown a little bit too.  Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, then enough beef stock to cover all ingredients.  Add the thyme and Worcestershire sauce and some more salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the beef is tender, at least 30 minutes - an hour or even longer would be better if you have the time.

Serves about 6.

Local Goat Cheese Burger

We've been renovating our kitchen over the last several weeks, hence the paucity of new recipes lately.  But here's a simple one that did not require my stove (currently out of commission) or any pans (currently stored in the basement).

This isn't really even a recipe so much as a suggestion:

Grill up some local grass-fed beef burgers (keep them medium rare).  Serve them on good quality buns, toasted on the grill alongside the burgers.  Instead of slicing cheese and melting it on the burgers on the grill, spread some local goat cheese on them upon serving.  Be generous with the quantity.  What else to add?  Well, it's spring, which means tender local arugula and lettuce are in season.  Maybe a little locally made mustard.  You can add ketchup if you like.  Although they're not in season, grilled slices of red onion would also be excellent.  Enjoy!