This subtly sweet stew comes from “Modern Meat Lore,” one of the pamphlets the Tribune published under the pen name of Mary Meade, the “cooking editor” at the newspaper. Flank steak isn’t the economical cut it was in 1939; feel free to substitute other cuts suitable for stewing, such as chuck.
BEEF AND APRICOT STEW
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/2 hours
Yield: 8 servings
1 cup dried apricots
3 pounds flank steak, trimmed, cubed
3 tablespoons oil or shortening
1 to 1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon each: salt, ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced onion
Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup each: flour, water
Hot cooked rice
1. Place apricots in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soak until plump, about 20 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. Heat oil or shortening in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown meat, in batches if necessary to prevent crowding. Reduce heat to low. Return all meat and any accumulated juices to pan. Add hot water; simmer, covered, about 2 hours.
3. Stir in apricots, celery, salt, pepper, onion and lemon zest; simmer, covered, until meat is tender, about 30 minutes. Mix flour with water until smooth; add to stew mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until stew thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
Note: We added 2 teaspoons fresh thyme along with the other seasonings.
Nutrition information per serving (without rice):
Calories ……. 495 Fat ………… 27 g Cholesterol .. 120 mg
Sodium …… 310 mg Carbohydrates .. 22 g Protein …….. 49 g
