The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [66]
1. Place a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the oil. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the carrots, celery, bell pepper, and oregano until combined. Stir in the lentils and bulghur wheat.
2. Add the stock to the pot; cover, and simmer over low heat just until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
wild mushroom stock
MAKES 3 QUARTS
4 cups plus 3½ quarts water
4 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 parsnips, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 bunch (about 1½ pounds) red or green Swiss chard, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 dried bay leaf
Several sprigs thyme
Several sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Place the dried mushrooms in a medium heatproof bowl; pour the boiling water over the mushrooms. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl, reserving the liquid and mushrooms separately. Set aside.
2. In a medium stockpot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved mushrooms along with the carrots, parsnips, and celery; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir the Swiss chard into the vegetable mixture in the pot. Add 3½ quarts cold water, reserved mushroom liquid (being careful to leave behind any sediment), bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 1 hour.
4. Remove the pot from the heat, and strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander into a large heatproof bowl or saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Store the stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.
hearty beef stew
SERVES 10
This recipe uses the shredded meat and tomato pieces left over from making the beef stock (recipe follows). Serve over egg noodles or rice.
Basic Beef Stock (recipe follows)
1 pound pearl onions, peeled
5 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
½ small bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen green peas, thawed
1. In a stockpot, combine the stock and reserved beef and tomato pieces. Cover; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and dill. Cook, uncovered, until the onions are soft, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. When ready to serve, add the peas, and cook just until tender and heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.
basic beef stock
MAKES 3½ QUARTS
Reserve the shredded beef and tomato pieces to make Hearty Beef Stew (recipe above). Refrigerate the stock in airtight containers for up to 30 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
6 pounds beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 quarts plus 1 cup water
1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, roughly chopped, juice reserved
2 dried bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
½ small bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Arrange the ribs in a large roasting pan; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast 1½ hours, turning the ribs halfway through.
2. Combine 3 quarts water and the tomatoes and their juice in a stockpot. Bundle the bay leaves, peppercorns, and dill in a small piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine, and add to the pot.
3. Transfer the roasted ribs to the pot. Pour off and discard the fat from the roasting pan. Pour the remaining cup water into the pan, and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, until the liquid is reduced by half. Transfer the liquid