It Starts with Christmas

As so many good things start, and not a few bad things too, this story starts with Christmas. Every year the major supermarket chains in the United Kingdom begin at the end of September to clear shelves of items that people need in order to make room for things they might want for Christmas. Gift packs of wine, beer, and spirits, often accompanied by a glass, or a packet of mints, replace toilet paper, coffee and tea, and pet food. A byproduct of this process is that various items that are surplus to requirements are sold for a fraction of their value.

A week ago there was a glut of canned tomatoes on the remainder shelves. The amount of shelf space for vegetables and the like would be reduced, so the tomatoes were on sale. I picked up a four-pack of plum tomatoes, brought it home, and wondered what to do with it.

As is now my custom, instead of poring through cookbooks for something appropriate, I googled the phrase "recipes with tomatoes and beef" and the first hit was titled "Beef Tomato Stew". I thought, "Wonderful, we haven't had beef this week and I can use my newly-acquired tomatoes." So I printed it off and made sure I had the rest of the ingredients. I'll add the recipe to the end of this blog post.

I only had half a kilo of stew beef, so I would have to pick up another 1/2 kilo in order to make this work. Across from Tesco's in the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre is a new shop, with the odd name of Meat and Meat. It sounds like a stab at a name for a gay bar in the Meatpacking District in Manhattan, actually. It's a shop that sells non-UK foods and ingredients, and halal meat. I thought to myself, "I'll get my stew beef there and see what their meat is like." and that's what I did.

I began cooking yesterday, and followed the instructions to the letter. However, when I served it up to HWMBO, who is not only my husband but also the breadwinner of the household, he complained that the meat was too tough. I tried mine, and the beef I'd gotten from Meat and Meat was full of gristle and tendon and, really, inedible.

Now stews and soups are special favourites of mine. I generally do well at them, and often make them, winter and summer, as they are great one-dish meals that only need a salad and some bread to make them complete. And yet, this one was a horror.

I pondered over it, and today decided to decant the stew into a casserole pot and bake it in the oven for two hours. I also cut up the offending meat into somewhat smaller portions.

After two hours in the oven (I also added some water to ensure that the entire thing didn't dry up in there) I served it up over rice. And, lo and behold, the meat was tender and moist, all of it. HWMBO said that, although his jaw was sore today from trying to chew yesterday's stew beef, he liked it much better today and the meat was easy to chew.

Now, what's the point of this story? The point is this: sometimes recipes are sketchy about their requirements. This one said that the meat would be soft and tender after 30-40 minutes. It took two hours on the stove and two hours in the oven to soften this beef, but the end result was, as is often said, better on the second day. Don't believe everything you read in a recipe. But, also, don't despair if the first try turns out inedible. There is usually a way to salvage whatever you've cooked. And finally, if you're cooking for your special someone, it's heartwarming to hear that you've cooked something that's tasty and nice. I was chuffed to bits when HWMBO said that today's stew was miles better than yesterday's effort. He makes it all worthwhile.

Here's the recipe. I've modified the directions. If you make this I hope you enjoy it, and remember that not everything that Christmas brings is easy.

Beef Tomato Stew Recipe—Ternera con Tomate

Serving Size : 4

3 Tbsp olive oil—(3 to 4)
2 lbs. beef stew meat in chunks—(1 kg)
2 large garlic cloves
2 yellow onions—peeled and chopped
1 can stewed or crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine or 1/4 cup brandy
2 roasted red peppers
2 sprigs parsley

In a large Dutch oven or a casserole pot that's oven-proof, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add beef and stir to brown on all sides. Make sure that the beef does not stick to pan. Add olive oil if necessary.

Add the chopped onions and sauté on medium to low heat for 5 minutes or so. Add the crushed tomatoes and let cook for 5 minutes.

While the beef and tomatoes are cooking, peel the garlic and smash it in the mortar with the parsley. Add a bit of the white wine and swish to clean any garlic and parsley that may be stuck to the inside.

Pour contents of mortar and rest of white wine into the pot. Slice the red pepper in half and add to the pot. Stir well. Cover loosely and simmer 30-40 minutes. Keep a close eye on the sauce and if it thickens too much, add a small amount of water.

Then, place the pot into an oven heated to Gas Mark 5/375° F/190° C. Leave for two hours, looking in occasionally and adding a bit of water if it is getting dry. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes or so. Serve over noodles or rice with a side salad and some crusty bread.

NOTES: Chunks of beef (or veal) cooked until tender in tomatoes, onion, garlic and red peppers makes this easy beef tomato stew. Although you might think of this as a wintery beef tomato stew, it is a great dish for any time of year. We recommend making it a day ahead of time and re-heating it just before serving. This will mellow the tomato sauce and it actually tastes better! It's also a great way to use leftover grilled meat.

You’ll need a wooden or plastic mortar and pestle for this recipe. Why use a mortar and pestle? Using a pestle in a downward circular motion to force ingredients against the surface of the mortar and smashing it will release more flavor than using a food processor. (It doesn’t use electricity and it’s easier to clean, too!)