Cuisine: Stew

Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley

I made this Beef Stew with Mushrooms and Barley for my Dad the other day. You can make it in an Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker or, I have also included the stovetop instructions. There are a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme in this stew which makes it very flavorful. I love the addition of pearl barley, which is one of the oldest grains. It is chewy, nutty, hearty and acts as the perfect thickener for soups and stews.

By Leslie Blythe

Autumn Pumpkin Turkey Chili

I decided to make this Autumn Pumpkin Turkey Chili so that I could jumpstart my favortite time of year. I overheard my husband talking to my daughter on the phone saying that "Mom is making some kind of weird chili that invovles a can of pumpkin purée". I have to say when I was shopping for ingredients for dinner, I was on the fence as to whether to use chunks of pumpkin/butternut squash instead. I decided to try it. My husband said it was delicious and went back for seconds!

I have provided 3 different methods of making this dish - stovetop, slow cooker and Instant Pot. It's the perfect thing for a chilly night, which I can only dream about living in LA. It is supposed to top 100° F this weekend!

By Leslie Blythe

Steak San Marino

I received a recipe in my inbox called Steak San Marino. I then proceeded to fall down a rabbit hole as I often do while researching this dish. San Marino is one of the smallest countries in the world. It is found in southern Europe and is fully surrounded by Italy (this is called an enclave, and only the Vatican City, Lesotho and San Marino are like this). Fewer than 30,000 people live there. It measures just 0.2 square miles, almost 120 times smaller than the island of Manhattan! I have lived in San Marino, CA and actually went to high school there. This Steak San Marino is made in a slow cooker and doesn't have many ingredients, but is very comforting and delicious. It's served on a bed of white rice and is very family-friendly, especially since online school has started for many. It only takes about 15 minutes to make and cooks all day and will fill your home full of wonderful aromas.

By

Tuscan Portobello Stew

This Tuscan Portobello Stew is vegetarian, but you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone, meat-eater or otherwise, who doesn't love it. Did you know the portobello is really a brown crimini mushroom? Once the little crimini grows up to be about 4" - 6" in diameter, it becomes a portobello. The portobello in Northern Italy is called "cappellone" which means "big hat". This stew is wonderfully rich, but only has about 310 calories per serving. I suppose adding the big hunk of crusty bread might take it over the edge! The recipe calls of dried herbs, but I used fresh.

By

Beef Stew for Two

I love recipes that serve 2. You can scale this Beef Stew for Two up to serve more. I happened to have had a small chuck roast and all the other ingredients. I love when that happens! It's very flavorful and I made it in the Instant Pot, but also have included the stovetop instructions.

By

Chicken and Butternut Squash Stew

This Chicken and Butternut Squash Stew is a taste of Autumn in a bowl! I have included to ways to make it, one in a slow cooker and the other faster way in an Instant Pot.

By

Beef Bourguignon with Gnocchi

I was out yesterday and my daughter Zoe called me. She asked if she could borrow the blue Le Creuset pot that was in our garage. I said sure, but it was her Christmas present! She made this Beef Bourguignon with Gnocchi, which looked incredibly delicious! However, she did NOT make it at our house, so I never got to have any! The way the recipe is written looks rather complicated, but in fact, it's fairly simple.

By

Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce

This Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce is from Jacques Pépin. His mother used to serve it at her restaurant, Le Pélican. The meat becomes incredibly tender. He uses red wine for the deeply flavored sauce.

By

Irish Beef Stew

This Irish Beef Stew uses Irish stout and is rich and hearty. The beef is incredibly tender. The stout beer really adds a great flavor.​ Perfect for a St. Patrick's Day meal!

By Leslie Blythe

Hearty Beef, Leek, & Barley Stew

This Hearty Beef, Leek, & Barley Stew is the ultimate in comfort food. I have made this recipe for years. It's from Gourmet LA, a Junior League cookbook. It is a stew that is simple to make and not your typical beef stew recipe. It is light and delicious for the chilly winter nights. Serve it with a nice loaf of crusty bread and a salad.

By Leslie Blythe