Post by @xavskitchen

STEWS of the MEDITERRANEAN 🍋 welcome to my new series where I’ll be taking you around the Mediterranean through the world of STEWS. each country has their own way of making stew with similarities and differences throughout the region, in this series, ill be taking you along a journey discovering the secrets and magic of Mediterranean stew making. for part 1, we’re starting off this series with a trip to Italy, to make some Spezzatino di Manzo, served with polenta. a rich and comforting Italian beef stew. full recipe below :) 2 tbsp beef tallow 500g beef shin 1 large stalk of celery diced 1 large carrot peeled and diced 1 large white onion diced 1 bay leaf 1 sprig of fresh rosemary 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 4 tbsp tomato paste 400ml red wine 500ml beef stock 4 tbsp plain flour (optional - to thicken the stew) Salt & black pepper to taste 50g polenta 200ml water Salt & black pepper to taste 25g parmesan cheese Start by heating up a large stew pot on a medium high heat, then once hot, add the beef tallow. Once hot, add beef and sear on each side until well browned all over, then remove and set aside. If necessary, do this step in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Now add the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary, reduce the heat to medium, and gently saute for a few minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes or until you develop a dark red colour, but not burnt. Now pour in the red wine and cook until reduced by half (approx 10 minutes). Add the beef back to the pot, alongside the beef stock. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, then cover and simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beef is soft and tender. An optional step is to place a seive into the stew (after 2 hours of cooking), and whisk in some flour to help thicken the stew. To make the polenta, add the water to a saucepan alongside salt to taste and bring to a light simmer. Slowly add the polenta and mix every 4-5 minutes for 30 minutes until the polenta is cooked and creamy. You may want to add a dash more boiling water as you go along. The polenta should be smooth and creamy. Finally, once the polenta is ready, add the parmesan off the heat and mix well. #stew #italianfood #italy #beefstew #FoodTok