Jordan Ett's State Fair Drunken Beef Stew

Keeping with the theme of drunken food I am doing this particular recipe for my nephew Jordan. He loves to cook and is always busy. This dish is ideal in a slow cooker. In the photo Linnea is on the left with Jordan in the Center and I am on the right. My big visit of the year typically involves the Minnesota State Fair. I freely admit that there is very little about the State of Minnesota that I like (Other than my relatives)but I do love the State Fair. The spectacle of deep fried 'everything' on a stick is endlessly amusing, but I really love the animals, baked goods and crafts. This fair really is for the Farmers and it is a great way for us city folk to connect with the wonderful men and women who feed us. I have an enormous appreciation for the small farmers who manage to hang on despite the odds. If you have a farmers market or green market near you shop there.

On a related note...Beef; what is typically sold in the grocery stores is of very poor quality, filled with antibiotics and grain fed. Grain fed beef should always be avoided. Feeding cattle grain is horrible for their digestion and they must be given huge quantity of antibiotics to tolerate grain. In addition it destroys the balance of the Omega3 and Omega6 fatty acids and makes the beef difficult to digest and unhealthy to eat. Even the beef sold by Whole Foods (whole paycheck) as grass fed is grain finished to fatten it up and therefore very unhealthy. Talk to the Farmers in your area and see who has grass fed and finished beef and order from them. The taste will amaze you with it's natural richness and you will be doing something good for yourselves and the planet.

Drunken Beef
A little Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 veal knuckle bones
2 lbs beef stew meat (try to find some that has marbling, fat adds flavor)
5 large onions peeled and chopped into large chunks
20 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
1 lb. baby carrots
1 cut chopped celery with leaves
4 cups chopped spinach
1 bottle of beer (dark is good)
3 cups beef broth (Rachel Ray lies, canned never gives it the 'cooked all day' taste, but since you are cooking it all day anyway go ahead if you have no homemade stock on hand)
1/4 cup sweet Paprika
Salt
Pepper
A little sour cream for garnish

Get the crock pot out of the cupboard, plug it in and set on the counter. Dry the beef if it is damp and liberally salt and pepper. Cut into smaller pieces if they come larger than bit sized. Put a little oil in a heavy bottomed pan and brown in the hot oil, along with the veal bones. Stir them around and let them get kind of crusty. The more brown the more flavor. When ready dump in crock pot.

Put your onion in the hot pan and the moisture from the onion will begin to deglaze the pan, when they begin to brown add in the garlic and continue for a few minutes until the garlic has softened. Dump on the meat.

Put in a touch more oil and throw in all the veggies except the spinach, par cook them for about 10 minutes. Remove, cover and refrigerate.

Pour the beer in the hot pot and make sure you stir in every bit of brown clingy stuff when pot is fully deglazed dump beer on beef. Stir in the paprika.Add the stock. The beef should be fully submerged but not drowning. Put on the lid, turn on high and go take a shower, get ready to go to the Fair.

When your Father starts telling you to get your shoes on since it is time to leave turn the crock down to low, tie your shoes (if you wear sandals put some sunscreen on the top of your feet, you know how easily you burn)

When you get home take the veal bones out of the pot and add in the vegetables, turn back on high and give a good stir. Go tell your Mother about how much fun you had and how you REALLY are old enough for the haunted house now and promise not to have nightmares. Taste the stew and add salt if needed.

Put some water on to boil for a few noodles. When the noodles are cooked plate them and dump a good serving of stew on each plate, top with a dollop of sour cream. Have your sister get Daddy a beer and Mama and Uncle Karl a glass of red wine. Sit down and enjoy.

I'll put the leftovers away and it will be even better tomorrow for lunch.

NON Kosher Brisket aka Cholent with Yorkshire Pudding

The picture is not great. I just bought a new digital at Radio Shack and am still figuring out how to use it. I am so not a techie. Also this is not the prettiest dish. It tastes incredible however so I would encourage you to try it.

This recipe serves 4 to 6 with some leftover beans, which can be eaten as a side dish or made into a soup.

2 lbs well marbled beef brisket (If you can get grass fed, grass finished free range organic beef it will taste incredible and be good for you, otherwise Whole Foods carries grass fed, grain finished that is not quite as good. After the Jewish Holidays it goes on sale. I picked it up for 5.99 a pound. Get one with some good fat and marbling.)

4 cups chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
1/2 cup (at least two heads) of chopped garlic
1 cup very finely chopped salt pork (see why it is not kosher, wait it gets worse)
1/2 cup diced carrot
2 ripe roma tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1/2 pound of beans (I used the 16 bean soup mix but you can use whatever you have in the house, white beans are especially good, but really any combo works.)
Salt to taste
Olive and Peanut oil

Heavily salt the brisket on both sides.

Heat a dutch oven (with a tight fitting lid) over a big flame with olive and peanut oil. When the oil is very hot sear the meat on both sides. Sear to a crisp solid brown, approx 5 minutes on each side. Remove meat and add in the onion. The liquid from the onion will begin to deglaze the pan. Toss in the salt pork and let it crisp while the onions begin to brown, then the garlic til it's soft and finally the carrot, tomato and celery. Deglaze with a bottle of STRONG red wine, Malbec or Cabernet. Never cook with a wine you won't drink, but no vintage required. When the mixture begins to simmer stir in the seasoning, then the beans and add the meat back in. Fill the oven to the top with broth or water. Put the lid on and place in a 275 degree oven for 6 to 8 hours.

It's that easy. Go to a movie, clean the house, do some gardening, take a nap. Don't touch or check the meat, just leave it alone.

Yorkshire pudding/Popovers are an ancient recipe that can stand up to endless variations and always come out beautifully.

1 cup bread flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
3 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted beef or duck fat
A good dash of salt
1 cup heavy cream (or milk)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated

Turn the oven up to 375 (It won't hurt the Cholent). Mix everything together into a batter with the whisk and put in either muffin pans or small bread pans or a big pan. I used my mini loaf pans because it looks cute and it makes one huge popover. 30 minutes later they will be puffy and crisp.

I have tried the thing where you set the cholent aside and let it cool and try to slice against the grain and guess what...it always falls apart. Let it fall apart. Take some delicious melty bits of brisket and put them on a heated plate or bowl. Take a nice portion of beans and put next to it. Top with some sour cream ( I know meat with dairy) and some fresh parsley. Put your beautiful popover next to it and pour a glass of something really good. I chose the Monarchia Villanyi Cuvee Evolution 2001. Enjoy!

Bulletin: A savvy reader sent me this link to the 2003 Villanyi Evolution, It is available through select wines http://selectwinesllc.com/20vyvicuev.html I can't vouch for this vintage, but if you try it let me know.

This wine was originally imported by Monica Elling and unfortunately Monarchia was sold to Matt Brothers and they tend to import the lesser more American style Hungarian wines. Monica Elling is starting a new company so look for the truly awesome Hungarian wines at a store near you in the future. Kaptarko was one of the finest wines Monarchia imported and since Matt Brothers dropped it I have the feeling Monica will get her hands on it again.