Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [14]
3. Stirring constantly, drizzle in the stock so that the flour dissolves and begins to thicken the stew. Once all the stock has been added, stir in the cranberries, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer at the slowest bubble for 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in the turnip and potato. Cover the pot again and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until the stew is thick and the meat is quite tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt, then serve.
MOLE CHILI makes 2 generous servings
Mole is a dark, slightly bitter, somewhat sweet sauce made from chiles and aromatic herbs; it’s now almost synonymous with the cooking from Oaxaca, Mexico. Mole may or may not include chocolate—culinary experts are still duking this one out—but our preference is distinctly for the chocolate variety. Here, we’ve simplified this classic sauce and turned it into a thick chili, perfect for a cold evening meal. The slight edge of unsweetened chocolate is the perfect foil to the ground meat and sweet beer in this winter warmer.
1 tablespoon canola or other vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
pound lean ground beef
pound ground pork
2½ tablespoons chili powder (see page 8)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
One 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably a dark beer such as Negra Modelo or Bass
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste (see page 14)
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, or until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for just 15 seconds; then crumble in the ground beef and pork. Cook for 2 minutes, just until the meat is lightly browned, stirring often.
2. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano; cook for 30 seconds to toast the spices, stirring constantly. (Do not stand over the pot—the volatilized chile oils may burn your eyes.) Stir in the beer and chocolate, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the tomato paste just until melted. Continue simmering for 15 minutes, partially covered, or until the chili is quite thick, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and serve immediately.
SUKIYAKI makes 2 servings
This version of the Japanese classic is so simple, you can add it to your weekly repertoire. Bring the sauté pan right to the table; then ladle the rich broth, vegetables, and meat into your bowls. Either type of noodle you choose is available in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets. Mung bean noodles are made from ground bean sprouts; yam starch noodles are made from a starchy white tuber grown in the mountains of northern Japan.
½ cup soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
½ cup mirin (see Note)
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon peanut oil
½ pound beef tenderloin, sliced into rounds as thin as possible
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 ounces enoki mushrooms, bottoms trimmed, remaining mushrooms brushed clean and broken into 5 or 6 clumps
2 ounces dried mung bean noodles, or 2 ounces yam starch noodles (see headnote)
4 small scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces
1. Whisk the soy sauce, mirin, water, and sugar in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a simmer, turn off the heat, and cover the pan to keep the mixture warm while you prepare the dish.
2. Heat a 10-inch high-sided sauté pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Swirl in the oil, then lay the tenderloin slices in the pan. Sear them for 10 seconds, turn, then sear for another 10 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium and mound the pieces of beef into one-quarter of the