Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the curry paste and stir until it is fragrant and evenly coats the onion and garlic, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to dislodge the browned bits from the pan bottom. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar and bring to a boil.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a slow cooker and add the beef, stirring to coat evenly. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6 hours or the high setting for 3 hours. The beef should be very tender.
Using a arge spoon, skim any fat from the surface of the curry. Spoon the curry onto individual pates or into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the basil and serve.
2 ½ lb (1.1 kg) boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch (4-cm) pieces
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper3 tablespoons canoa oil1 yellow onion, finely chopped4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup (60 g) Thai red
curry paste
2 cans (14 fl oz/425 ml each) coconut milk (not light), shaken well before opening2 tablespoons fish sauce2 tablespoons fresh lime juice2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil or ciantro
SERVES6–8
This Thai-style beef curry comes together quickly when you have coconut milk, red curry paste,andfish sauce already on the pantry shelf.Make the curry a day in advance and its complex flavors will more thoroughly infuse the meat. For a hearty one-pot meal, add a few handfuls of cubed pumpkin or butternut squash along with the beef.
BEEF& COCONUT RED CURRY
Serve this fragrant stew with Crostini (page 176) for sopping up the juices, or spoon the mixture atop thick slices of toasted bread for a hearty midday meal.
27
BEEF
In a arge, heavy frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined pate and set aside. Pour off the fat from the pan.
Season the beef generously all over with salt and pepper, then pace in a arge pastic bag, add the flour, and shake the bag to coat the beef evenly. Remove the meat from the bag and shake off the excess flour.
In the frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, add the beef and sear, turning as needed, until browned on two sides, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker.
Pour off most of the fat in the pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and stir to dislodge any browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the stock, thyme, and bay leaves, then pour the contents of the pan over the beef. Stir in the carrots. Cover and cook on the low setting for 6 hours.
Add the mushrooms and pearl onions, submerging them in the liquid. Re-cover and continue to cook on the low setting for 1 hour longer. The beef and vegetables should be very tender.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme. Let the stew stand for a few minutes, then use a arge spoon to skim the fat from the surface. Ladle the stew into warm shallow bowls, garnish with the parsley, and serve.
½ lb (225 g) applewood smoked bacon, diced
3 lb (1.4 kg) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess
fat and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper
¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour2 tablespoons canoa oil4 cloves garlic, smashed1 ½ cups (350 ml) dry red wine1 cup (240 ml) beef
or chicken stock
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
3 arge carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks ½ lb (225 g) cremini mushrooms, brushed clean, stem ends trimmed, and quartered
1 package (10 oz/285 g) frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh fat-leaf parsley
SERVES6
No slow cooker book would be complete without a great beef stew recipe. For a colorful spin, swap in multicolored heirloom carrots for the classic variety, or exchange some of the carrots for other root vegetables, such as parsnips or turnips.
FRENCH-STYLEBEEFSTEW
28
BEEF
Season the roast generously all over with salt and pepper. In a arge, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the roast and sear, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a slow cooker.
Pour off all but 1–2 tablespoons of the fat in the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion, chopped carrot, celery, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Pour in the stock, wine, and vinegar, add the thyme and another ½ teaspoon salt, then raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to dislodge any browned bits from the pan bottom. Remove from the heat.
Pour the contents of the pan over the roast. Arrange the parsnips, rainbow carrots, and turnips around the roast, pushing them down into the cooking liquid. Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 hours. The roast and the vegetables should be tender.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with aluminum foil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid into a pitcher or bowl, let stand for a few minutes, then use a arge spoon to skim the fat from the surface.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, then cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Slowly add the cooking liquid while whisking constantly, then continue to whisk until thickened to a gravy consistency, about 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and/or balsamic if needed.
Snip and remove the strings from the roast, then cut the roast against the grain into slices. Transfer the slices to a serving patter and surround them with the vegetables. Spoon some of the gravy over the beef slices and vegetables, then pour the remainder into a small bowl or pitcher. Serve the meat and vegetables with the gravy alongside.
1 boneless beef chuck roast, 4 lb (1.8 kg), tied
Kosher salt and freshly
ground pepper 1 tablespoon canoa oil 1 arge yellow onion, finely chopped
1 arge carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 arge celery stalk, finely
chopped
2 cups (475 ml) beef stock ⅓ cup (80 ml) dry red wine⅓ cup (80 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh thyme
¾ lb (340 g) small parsnips, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks