Stews

Whoever said writing the history of some foods was going to be easy was simply crazy!   Who would have thought the history of stew started 8,000 years ago or more when artifacts of turtle shells where found in the Amazon by an indigenous tribe who used them to create a form of a stew with meat and vegetables in the area.  You just never know what you will find when you start digging.

In the Roman cookbook call Apicius believed to date back to the 4th century and the oldest cookbook in French called Le Viandier mention various type of stews.  We would be remiss not to mention the importance of Hungarian Goulash and Irish Stews in the world of stews that date back to earlier times.

So what is stew?  It is more than just a pot over an open camp fire or a cast iron pot in the fireplace of a pioneer settler home we commonly see in an old western movie.  Of course every culture has it variation but the basics of a stew is a combination of vegetables and meats, normally a tougher meat that is normally used for slow cooking.   The ingredients are cooked in a liquid such as wine, stock, beer and even water for several hours until the meat is soft and tender. Who hasn't thrown a combination of what I mentioned in a crockpot in the morning before leaving for work only to come home to a yummy goodness ready to eat?

There are a few things to keep in mind when selecting the meat.  As mentioned the meat should be the least tender cut.  These cuts normally contain a marbling effect which lends to a juicier stew then a lean cut of meat.  A leaner cut will be dry from cooking so long.  A tougher cut of meat doesn't mean it is a bad cut.  On the contrary, it is perfect for stew.  Once the meat and veggies are cooked the liquid is normally thickened by reducing it or thickening it with flour.  Both are acceptable techniques in the world of stews.

There is little difference between soups and stews and many think they are the same. However soups normally have more liquid then stews....except at my house.  Soups and stews all look the same. :-) 

Today stews are common in all cultures and countries.  Here are a few you might recognize...

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff, a stew with beef from Russia.  Seeing this on the list makes me want to make it soon!

Bourguignon, a French dish of beef stewed in red burgundy wine.  If you haven't made Julia Child's Beef Bouguignon...well you need to!  YUM!!

Booyah, an American meat stew...  This is for my friends and family in Green Bay WI.  Chicken Booyah!   I can smell it all the way to FL!

Bouillabaisse, a fish stew from Provence.

Brunswick stew, from Virginia and the Carolina's.

Chili con carne, Mexican-American meat and chili pepper stew.

Goulash, a Hungarian meat stew with paprika.  Have you ever met a goulash you didn't like?

Gumbo, a Louisiana creole dish.   Cajun cooking.... oh my!

Irish stew, made with lamb or mutton, potato, onion and parsley.

Pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles called bánh phở, a few herbs, and meat.  If you know me you know why this is on the list.  I could just swim in the stuff!

Ratatouille, a French vegetable stew.

Yahni, a Greek, Turkish, and Persian stew.

For a more complete list of stews from other countries go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stew

What is your memory of stews?  In our house I remember a stew had beef in it with everything but the kitchen sick thrown in!  It was always served over noodles.   Our dad (Lloyd) threw caution to the wind when he cooked so it was not surprising to find a leftover hot dog cut up in chunks floating around in our stew.  I didn't really like that kind of cooking but in our house you did not complain about what was put on the table.   It could be why I make sure hot dogs are kept to eating in a bun and not available in the house when it is time to make stew...LOL!

As you can see by my comments above I like stews.  It is a comfort food to me and it best served in the Autumn or Winter, but I will eat it anytime.  However with all there is to chose from I decided to pick something I have not made in a long time.  Jambalaya!!!  Though I don't come from the south, I think I make a pretty good Jambalaya.

Jambalaya

Here is what you need...

3 (14 1/2 oz) cans chicken broth (can use homemade stock also, which is what I prefer)

1 (14 1/2 oz) canned diced tomatoes with juice (can use homemade canned tomatoes, which is what I prefer)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp cayanne pepper

1 1/2 onion, chopped

1 cup diced celery

1 Fennel bulb diced/sliced

2/3 cup brown rice (can also use wild rice, which is what I prefer)

4 oz cooked andouille or chorizo sausage or a combination diced/sliced or your favorite type of sausage

8 chicken drumsticks (leave the skin on for flavor while cooking)

1 red, yellow or orange pepper, diced

1 lb uncooked shrimp peeled

1/2 lb okra fresh or frozen

Here is what you do...

This can be made in a slow cooker or on the stove top.   Stove top will be faster but it is perfect in a slow cooker if you are going to be gone all day.   The steps to make are the same.

In a slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients.  Cook in high for 4 -5 hours or until the rice and chicken are cooked through.  When the chicken is cooked, remove from the slow cooker.  Let them cool and remove the skin from the chicken and remove the chicken from the bone.  Add chicken back to the cooker along with the shrimp and okra.  Simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes or until the shrimp is done.  Do not over cook the shrimp.  Serve with a nice salad and bread.  

Pretty easy... now go and make something good.....and share your talents with others!