How do you take an old stew recipe and make it new again?
By using spices and ingredients from all over the world–some familiar, some not so familiar. And it’s easier than ever. The availability of unusual ingredients has grown with the development of modern palates, “smarter” supermarkets and the Internet.
“The influence of cooking shows and consumer magazines has expanded people’s willingness to explore different flavor profiles,” said Karen Meleta, director of corporate communications for ShopRite supermarkets.
Supermarkets are acknowledging this trend at their prepared foods counters. At Whole Foods Markets in Chicago, items such as meatloaf and pot pie get a new touch “maybe using an unusual spice or ingredient for a unique flavor,” said Mischa Connor, prepared foods team leader.
You can do this at home. Take that stew or braised meat recipe you’ve been making for years to new heights with simple changes in the aromatics, spices and cooking liquids. No need to change the meat you love or the process.
Beef stew, for example: Add the flavor of oranges plus earthy oregano at the finish. For chicken stew, add Asian touches, such as fermented black beans.
Paul Wildermuth, chef of Opera restaurant, likes to blend Asian and American ingredients with French techniques in his dishes. And why not, he asked?
“Our regional cuisines have been influenced by the individual style of each new culture that gets introduced to them as immigrants settle across the U.S,” he pointed out.
Wildermuth makes a fragrant pork stew that blends Asian spices with a touch of chocolate in the sauce. It’s a great recipe to make ahead, he said. It reheats easily and serves eight hungry people.
The key to making new stews? Be adventurous, but don’t be intimidated by the unusual ingredients. If your local market does not carry them, the Internet can bring them to your doorstep.
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Surfing for specialty items
Here are some Web sites that stock a wide array of ethnic ingredients.
Adrianascaravan.com, a New York shop, sells more than 1,500 items.
Amazon.com–go to its Gourmet Food page–offers a wide range of ethnic ingredients.
Ethnicgrocer.com sells items from 17 countries and cuisines.
Latienda.com specializes in Spanish foods.
Penzeys.com sells a huge array of spices and herbs.
Isolaimports.com and Tavolo.com specialize in Italian items.
Beef stew with orange essence
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 each, diced: carrots, celery ribs
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Grated zest and juice from 2 large oranges
1 cup beef broth
1 cup dry red wine, such as cabernet sauvignon, barolo or syrah
2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano
1. Combine flour, salt and pepper to taste in resealable plastic bag; shake to mix well. Add the beef; shake to coat evenly. Remove beef, shaking off excess flour mixture, to a single layer on a plate.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, turning until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove beef from pan; set aside. Add carrots, celery, onion, tomato paste, cumin and coriander; cook, stirring often, until onion starts to caramelize and tomato paste turns deep red, about 15 minutes. Stir in the orange zest and juice, broth, wine and reserved beef. Heat to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer, cover; cook until beef is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
3. Remove meat from pot; set aside. Puree cooking liquid with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender; return to pan. Stir in the meat and oregano.
Nutrition information per serving:
308 calories, 46% of calories from fat, 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 94 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein, 558 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Asian chicken thighs
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 6 servings
Serve these braised thighs whole, or shred the meat, discarding the bones, and return the shredded meat back to the stew and reheat slightly before finishing the dish with fresh cilantro and green onions.
8 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 piece (2 inches) ginger root, peeled, grated
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry Chinese black beans, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon each: red curry paste, soy sauce, fish sauce
2 lime leaves, optional
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Season the chicken with Chinese five-spice powder, salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches; cook until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan; set aside.
2. Drain off all but 2 teaspoons of the fat. Stir in the jalapeno, bell pepper, three-quarters of the green onions, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring often, until fragrant and peppers soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk, chicken broth, black beans, curry paste, soy sauce, fish sauce and lime leaves; cook, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, to a boil, about 3 minutes.
3. Return chicken to pan; cover. and bake until chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, about 1 hour, 45 minutes. Garnish with remaining sliced onions and cilantro.
Nutrition information per serving:
352 calories, 61% of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 77 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 882 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Asian stewed pork shoulder
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 1/2 hours
Yield: 8 servings
3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 piece (2 inches) ginger root, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sake or dry vermouth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
5 cardamom pods, crushed
3 star anise
2 sticks cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1. Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook the pork in batches until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Remove pork from Dutch oven; set aside.
2. Add onion, garlic and ginger to Dutch oven. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in sake; cook, scraping bottom of pan, until reduced by one-third, about 4 minutes.
3. Stir in broth, chocolate, soy sauce, fish sauce, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon and five-spice powder. Increase heat to high; heat to a boil. Return meat to pan. Cover; transfer to oven. Cook until pork is very tender, about 2 hours.
Nutrition information per serving:
399 calories, 44% of calories from fat, 20 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 128 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 46 g protein, 823 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
