“This was after stew. But then, so is everything. When the first man crawled out of the slime and went to make his home on land, what he had for dinner that night was stew.”
~ William Goldman, The Princess Bride
I don’t believe I’ve ever order stew in a restaurant. Stew is for home, and this stew satisfies every wish you had when you first wished for stew. This version came to me through my husband’s family and the following recipe creates a deeply flavorful, rustic, incredibly beefy stew with a Spanish flair. The addition of green olives gives a unique savoriness. I do hope you give this recipe a try.
Enjoy!
*Recipe from 1080 Recipes
Carne Guisada (Spanish Beef Stew w/ Tomatoes and Olives)
Carne Guisada combines the simplest ingredients to create a rich beefy stew with green olives. It is Spanish comfort food at its finest.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3 1/4 lbs. stewing beef chuck, flank, rump, cut in chunks
- 2 lg. onions finely chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 lb. 2 oz. ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped (can substitute 15 oz. can whole tomatoes)
- 3/4 white wine
- Pinch of dried herbs or 1 bouquet garni 1 spring fresh parsley, 1 clove garlic, and 1 bay leaf tied in a cheese cloth
- 1 cup of pimiento-stuffed green olives
- salt
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven. Add the beef, in batches if necessary, and cook stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until evenly browned.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Drain off most of the oil, leaving about 4 tablespoons to cover the base of the pan, and reheat.
- Add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until beginning to brown.
- Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato and cook, stirring occasionally and break up with the side of the spoon, for 5 minutes more.
- Return beef to the pan and pour in the wine.
- Season with salt, add the dried herbs or bouquet garni, mix well and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Pour in water to cover, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, until tender.
- After 2 hours uncover the stew and add rinsed olives. Let simmer 10 more minutes uncovered.
- Remove bouquet garni and serve.
I love food! I read cookbooks like they were novels. I get giddy in a farmer’s market. I find a chicken in a pot surrounded by carrots, onion, and celery a thing of beauty. My favorite sound is Mmmmmmmm!
That looks delicious!
I often order stew on the menú del día – I particularly liked a recent estofado de abuela at the Victoria in Barcelona, which they’d translated (on the board outside) as grandma stew! I asked the waiter who’s grandma I was eating, which made for much laughter in the kitchen.
hahaha Language is tricky!!! I guess I should have said outside of Spain I don’t order stew. I’ve had the pleasure of several stew type dishes in Spanish restaurants and bars. My favorite was a Rabo de Toro in Córdoba. I’ll definitely try Grandma Stew the next time I’m there!!! jajaja
I love rabo de toro – I make that quite often myself.
I need to find a good recipe for that one!
I’ve got oxtail on my blog, which is adapted from an English friend’s family recipe – astonishingly, it tastes very similar to all the rabo de torro that I’ve eaten in Spain. I like to braise it slowly in the oven, but it can be done in a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Thank you!