Come the colder weather I am always on the hunt for meat-based comfort dishes. Stew? Sure. But, I was looking for something different. And I found and insanely flavorful iteration of stew that surprisingly lacks the common veggie component. To wit… potatoes, carrots and celery… gone! Horrors! Also, the recipe eliminates the pain-in-the-tail-flour-the-meat prep stage. {SPOILER ALERT} I am a fan of dropping nuisance prep steps. Words about the “side dish”. Words won’t suffice! This popover is off-the-charts delicious! Regards the name: Dutch Baby. My research suggests that the name is a blur of “Deutsch”; and the basic recipe was for a German (Deutsch)Pancake. And the dish could be made sweet or savory. Here, clearly the savory version is in play.
For wine… I wanted a full flavorful wine that could “handle” the richness of the stew. As someone who prefers country styles of wine from France and Italy, there is still a part of me that loves the atypical blends that our Cali producers assemble. There is a marvelous disregard for adhering to bottling law that prescribes what grapes can be used in Bordeaux, for example. Or the Rhône. Sequum Mixt is a magical blend of varietals that flout European appellation dictates! And that has to put a smile on your face!
Sequum
MIXT’13 (Napa, CA)
Most
of the fruit for MIXT is from the 1½-acre Kidd Ranch in Napa Valley. This
32-year-old, dry farmed vineyard is located on the valley floor within St. Helena. The whole is greater than the sum of the
parts: the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah confirms
this axiom. Discover how the grapes’ separate identities become uniquely
integrated once MIXT or thoroughly co-mingled. This is a hearty coming-together
of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah. It dances in baked
plum and raisins as a tartness of cherry and savory dried herb counterbalances
the ripeness and sizable tannin.
Coffee & Wine Beef Stew
Ingredients
6
ounces of Tanqueray Gin
½
ounce of Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
2½lb
Chuck roast cut into 1” pieces
1
Cup Beef Stock
3
Cups of Coffee
1½
Cups sliced baby bella mushrooms (can be more)
1
medium onion sliced
⅔ Cup Dry
red wine
3
tbs Olive Oil
2
tsp diced garlic
1
tsp salt
1
tsp pepper
1
cup frozen peas
Directions
1.
Put gin and vermouth into a glass pitcher, fill with ice, stir vigorously while
incanting, “You who know all, thank you for providing us juniper and all the
other obscure ingredients responsible for creating this sacred liquid!” Strain
into a pre-frozen Martini glass of admirable size. Skewer the olives on
one of those tacky cocktail swords, place in glass. Immediately begin
consuming. Now you can begin the food prep, and the cooking!
2. Season beef with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in dutch oven on high. When the oil is at high temp, brown beef on all sides. Do not overcrowd the dutch oven, cook in batches as necessary.
4. Remove beef from the dutch oven, reserving any fat in the oven.
5. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté onions, mushrooms and garlic in the dutch oven ‘til onions and mushrooms are reduced. Add coffee, beef stock and wine to the vegetables and stir. Add beef & juices. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to low.
6. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. Add frozen peas, mix well & serve.
Garlic-Rosemary Dutch Baby
Ingredients
3 eggs
¾ Cup flour
¾ Cup milk
1 tsp Kosher
Salt
6 thinly sliced
garlic cloves
1 tbsp chopped
fresh rosemary
6 tbsp butter
Directions
1. Set oven to 425°
2. Whisk together 3 eggs, flour, milk & kosher salt. Let sit for 5 minutes
3. In cast iron skillet on blazing high, melt butter, sauté garlic and chopped rosemary. About 1 minute
4. Add egg batter to skillet, sprinkle with more chopped rosemary.
5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden
6. Thank me, when you get the chance. Personal checks, also welcomed!!
n.b. Resist the temptation to scarf down the “Dutch Baby” solo. Or take pause before grabbing for an extra slice when others at the table are engaged in mindless and distracting conversation.