Around here, I make the dinner decisions 24/7/365… well almost 365. There are the rare dinners out and maybe two dozen or so times a year someone else does the cooking. But for the most part, I have to make the decision about what to make for dinner every night. Some nights the decision is complicated by the fact that honey man doesn’t want to eat what I’m thinking of making.
Some nights the decision is made by what’s in the fridge that needs to be cooked that day or it will be past its prime. And sometimes the decision of what to eat is inspired by the weekly visit to the grocery store. Today was one of those days.
There were some fabulous farm fresh Ontario potatoes in the grocery store today. So I bought a basket. In the meat department, I spied stewing beef and added it to my cart. As I was moving to the dairy aisle, I spotted the lamb and remembered that I had seen bits of a cooking show the other day where the chef cooked lamb curry. I skipped on to the next channel as I’m not a big fan of lamb but as I stood in the grocery store, I wished I had watched more as I thought stewing beef could substitute for the lamb.
I returned to my kitchen and started to prep for dinner. Inspired by the farm fresh potatoes, I remembered that my father-in-law had given us a few tomatoes from his garden so thought to add those to the stew as well.
Isn’t it amazing how a smell can take you back? When I cut into the tomatoes, they reminded my of my Nonna. She wasn’t my real Nonna but the elderly Italian lady that lived next door. They grew tomatoes in their garden and in the fall they would boil them and can them. The tomatoes I cut into today smelled of my childhood. I knew they would be a great addition to whatever I would be making.
Beef Tomato Curry Surprise Stew
1/2 pound stewing beef, cut into bite size pieces
5 whole white potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 to 3 tablespoons curry powder
2 whole onions, diced
3 whole garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3 whole tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I’ll be honest, I did not peel or seed mine)
1 bottle tomato sauce or 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
6 cups beef stock
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Dice the onion and garlic. Saute in 6-quart sauce pot. Add the spices and sauté until they start to release their aroma (about two minutes). Add the beef and sauté until browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add the beef stock. You can also use chicken or vegetable stock. Add the potatoes and tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium-low and cover. Let simmer gently for about 2 hours. Remove cover. If it’s still too soupy, break up some of the potatoes with a wooden spoon and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes with the lid on the pot, taking care not to let the stew burn.
When the stew has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat and serve. You can serve the beef curry alone, or over a bed of rice. To cut the heat (if desired) serve with a dollop of yogurt.
Note from the Accidental Chef: I had picked up some fresh nectarines today and thought to make a chutney to serve with the stew and then I didn’t. My gut instinct was right – it needed that extra little sweet flavor. Will update the recipe next time I make it and add details of the chutney. Enjoy!
Deborah, or iDeborah as she’s affectionately known on Twitter, loves to experiment in the kitchen. Some of her best dishes were created by accident! She started this blog to encourage others to get creative in the kitchen… and to record some of her accidental creations so she can enjoy them again! To learn more about
Sat, Aug 29, 2009
Entrees, Gluten Free, Sides, Starters