Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Dark Chocolate and Red Wine Beef Stew

  • 4-6 tablespoons oil
  • 1.5 kilos beef 
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 stick celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2/3 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sultanas
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1.5-2 cups beef stock (less in a slow cooker)
  • 50g/1.7 ozs dark chocolate 
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Step 1 - In a large pot on medium heat, add a tablespoon of the oil and brown the beef Set aside. Reduce the heat to low and saute the  carrot, celery and garlic until soft but and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes.

Step 2 - Turn the heat up to medium again and add the beef back into the pot. Add the red wine and red wine vinegar and cook it for 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Add the sultanas, bay leaves, cinnamon, nutmeg and beef stock and cook in low to medium heat with the lid on for 1.5 hours.

Step 3 - When 1.5 hours is up, melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. Add one tablespoon of the stew liquid to the chocolate and then stir and then add another 3-4 tablespoons until the chocolate has incorporated the liquid well without seizing. Add the chocolate to the stew liquid and simmer for another 30 minutes and season with the salt and pepper to taste. Scatter pine nuts on top and chopped parsley. Serve with potatoes.