22 - Sunday, December 26, 1999 - North shore News

Simplicity is just the ri
thing lor F

HAD IT, eh? All the fan-
cy food, all the funny
drinks, all the strange
hours?

What we all need to settle us
down is a good stew.

And I just happen to have
the best recipe in the whole
world. But mark, now, you
have to start with shin meat.

I made a real nuisance of
myself one day in November,
standing around in the butcher
. shops, nagging about proper
stewing beef. ;

Finally one thoroughly
beleaguered proprietor yielded
to my supplications, marched
into his cooler and wrestled
out some lovely chunks of
shin. |

, One’s no good, because

when you make stew, it’s never

a one-shot dish. Stew im-
‘proves with age, just as you
“and I do, and the longer it has

between warmings-up. the. bet-

_ ter it gets, =~

So, two pounds at least,
"boned. ‘Three’s better.
'-‘Once'you've got the coveted
“shin home, you give it close
- attention, to scrape off the

; fatty bits "and cut it into gener-
“ous cubes.
:You’ll encounter some
. ‘peramethium which you want
~ to discard. It’s like tough
“tissue-paper, and when it’s all ,

_ cleaned up and cut into pieces,

~ you'll want a paper bag. -

“Into the paper bag dump 4%
Soup | of flour, along with 4
.-téaspoon each of salt, pepper

‘and paprika,
Shake it .up, clutching the —
-4op tightly; then drop your
‘. ‘eubes of meat therein and
‘clutch and shake till all the
cubes are coated, a
“-co“Phis manoeuvre is called
~ dredging: Mandatory. .

A-nice big frying pan is now -

quired, into which you will
deposit a couple of tablespons
= of margarine ‘and canola
oil.

Turn the heat to high, and
- when the fat gets hazy, start to
~add the cubes of meat. Not all
~at once, they’ll sweat if you
“pet, them crowded. Do about a

THE VINTAGE YEARS

third at a time.

When those have been
tossed and turned and are
beautifully browned, lift each
out onto a paper towel and

_ continue with the next two
» batches.
All done, now? All the
_ pieces a lovely tantalizing
mink-brown? You are a clever
cooker, you know that.

Now you need a deeper,
heavier vessel for the actual
stewing, and it must have a
tight-fitting lid.

Lhave a great cast-iron _
electric frying pan that fits the
bill, aiso one of those
enamelled iron pots, perhaps
easier to clean. You choose.

If it’s the electric pan, set it
for 275°F or 300°F, max-
imum; if it’s to go in the oven,
the same.

Put the meat into the vessel

. and throw in a couple of

- peeled garlic buds, mashed is
best, then pour over all a cup
of bouillon, half a cup of red
wine (you’li need more later,

' for lubrication during the long
‘stewing process), and at least
one tin of Italian-type
tomatces.

Juice from a can of
mushrooms or any other
canned vegetable is a welcome
addition, Look in the fridge.
The total liquid should just
cover the meat, but not quite.

You can quarter a big onion
to add here, though I prefer

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Jay meal

six or eight small ones myself.

Then, you need salt and
pepper — take it easy, you can
always add later -—- and a good
splash of Worcestershire and a
bay leaf. Don’t break it up.

These rest can be in any
order: one tablespoon of
brown sugar, one of vinegar,
half a teaspoon each of
rosemary, thyme and basil,

Turn the heat down, the pan
to simmer, or the oven to
250°F, and let it just enrich
itself for several hours.

Six is too many, two isn’t
enough, and check once ina
while for liquid level.

Add wine anytime, or water,
but don’t drown it.

About an hour before din-
ner, ready the carrots — if big
ones, two or three, cleaned
and chunked; if fresh little
ones, the whole bunch.

Several stalks of celery now,
scraped and clean and coarsely
chopped.

Also you'll want small, clean
pecled spuds, which don’t need
quite as much time as the cel-
ery and carrots, so hold them
till the final half-hour.

Of course cook and mash
them separately if that’s what

-you like.

You thicken at the end with
flour and water mixed, of
course, turn up the heat till the
stew boils, add the thickener
slowly and judiciously, stirring
constantly, Gradually turn
back to simmer.

Experts will add that a shot
of rye whiskey elevates any
stew to glory. All you’re really
looking for is a return to nor-
mal after indulgence. Suit
yourself, but enjoy. .

You just might have enough
left over to start the new year
right.

GT NOW

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plus 2

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WA BONS gece Is ARE Uhhh At ie

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