COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE

My blog friend Dolly Rubiano has challenged me and mumandleahcook to a little clean out the fridge recipe posting.  How fun!  Well, this did present a challenge for me because, you see, it is a bit rare for me to over purchase at the market.  I am very precise when it come to shopping and using everything I bring home. I always have the regular items such as, milk, eggs, cheeses, a little lettuce of some sort, and usually a few beers and maybe some chilled wine.  What do you do with all that?  I could make a salad and put an egg on it!  I already posted that here.  I stood at the refrigerator looking at some carrots and two large parsnips.  Then I knew I had to raid the freezer too.  Again, I do not usually have too much stored in our freezer, typically buy fresh and use right away.  I did have some stewing beef.  I decided then I would make a beef stew, smashed potatoes and caramelized parsnips.  I had brought the carrots and parsnips home a few weeks ago thinking I would use them in a soup.  I have to admit I did have to peel them, they were looking a little “over ripe”.  This caramelized parsnip recipe is like eating a delicious coconut!

Not much in the fridge!

I n g r e d i e n t s

• 1 pound stew beef
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced into very fine bits
• 4 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/2 cup rose’ wine
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 3 cup hot water
• 6 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot.  Add the beef and brown it over high heat until it is nice and brown on all sides.  Salt the beef as you go.  Add the onions and fry until it has softened.  Add the butter, garlic and thyme and cook until butter is melted and the garlic is aromatic.   Add the wine, cook until it has evaporated and add the tomato sauce.  Stir well.  Add 3 cups of boiling water, cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for 2 -3 hours stirring occasionally.  The meat should be very soft and tender after 2 – 3 hours.  Thirty minutes before you are ready to serve add the carrots, cook uncovered until tender.  Sauce should be fairly thickened when done.  Turn off heat and allow to sit 10 minutes before serving.

c a r a m e l i z e d   p a r s n i p s

I n g r e d i e n t s

• 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons turbinado raw cane sugar
• snipped chives
• salt

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place cut parsnips in a baking dish, drizzle melted butter and sugar on top.  Toss to mix well.  Add snipped chives and a little sprinkling of salt, cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes until tender.

My “clean out the fridge” dinner was fantastic!  It helped that it was 50° and raining all day so when the stew was simmering the aroma was as good as a warm blanket.  I was very happy to top the dish off with fresh herbs from my garden.  Basil on the smashed potatoes, chives on the the parsnips and thyme on the stew.

Thank you Dolly and Sandra for a fun little blogging experience!

Serves 4.

buon appetite!