11 November 2011

opa's enthusiastic stew / my favorite winter meal


my dear ol' dad / c halverson photography (my sister-in-law!)

am sharing a favorite winter meal today. this one is extra special because the recipe was conjured up by my very own dad (after years of ironing out the ingredients, here it is in all its glory). he makes a mean pot of perfection. it is the ultimate in comfort warm-me-up food. publishing it here means his future generations can enjoy his famous recipe. and, since he's a historian, reaching into the archives (albeit virtually) would be entirely suitable. 

i love the fact that he makes a giant restaurant-size pot of this stew (refrigerates it on the porch, because it's cold enough here in december) and divides it into containers–gifting it to whomever visits–all packed up in small family portions. cannot think of much else better than that. enjoy.

Opa's Enthusiastic Stew
Perfect for winter nights, particularly Christmas Eve

chop and set aside for later
3 carrots, chopped into rounds
10 red potatoes, quartered
3 celery stalks, chopped

2 C. flour
3 lb. stew meat (best quality your money can buy)
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 whole carrot
1 medium onion
2 C. beef broth
fresh parsley
3 small cans V8 juice

add last
10 oz. frozen peas
sliced shiitake mushrooms

In a small bowl, flour the beef chunks and brown them in large pot, simmering with oil. Add whole carrot, onion and parsley. Pour in broth and V8 juice. Bring mixture to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for 40 minutes. Remove whole carrot and onion and add the chopped vegetables. (Optional: add a cup of wheat berries in true Opa fashion.) Simmer for 40 more minutes. Add frozen peas and fresh mushrooms, simmer 10 additional minutes.

Serve to hungry guests with a hunk of fine, crusty brot (which is how he might say it, because he speaks german, and sometimes acts german). Light a thick candle and your kitchen may turn into an old fashioned tavern swarming with European customers demanding seconds.

on a side note // happy eleven eleven eleven. now go check out the new GIFTED online magazine by creature comforts. i am still devouring last year's version; this one is bound to be chock-full of holidayesque happiness.

8 comments:

Shannon @ A Mom's Year said...

Please tell your dad thank you for sharing this recipe. Men who can cook are awesome. :-)

Cecilia said...

I'm loving so many stew and soup recipes these days. I'll have to try this one!

But first I must ask: are you sure there's nothing "secret" about this recipe that may not be included in the published version above :)

Happy Friday!

Jordan and Jandee said...

Perfect eating for chilly fall weather. Plus I love making something on friday that you can eat through the weekend. I think soup is always better the second day.

brooke said...

I am on a cooking kick and am going to try this....and I will think of your dad!

summer said...

mmmmm! mm. cozyness is defintely a result of this recipe, right? happy weekend, friend :)

summer said...

ps. totally agree. men who cook are heroes. if they have a signature dish, how lovely is that?!

Travelin'Oma said...

What makes this stew so enthusiastic? Opa puts everything he's got into it! Love, Oma

Becca Groves said...

Marta, I just made this stew and I am super enthused! For real, the meat was crazy tender (my husband said, "for the record, I am cutting this meat with my spoon.) and I LOVED the shitake mushrooms addition.

Tell your dad this is a winner. I called my mom this afternoon while she was grocery shopping so she got the stuff and now two families in Minnesota will be enjoying Opa's Enthusiastic Stew tonight.

Joyfully,
Becca

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...