Beef Stew with Orange and Cinnamon
Delicious, delicious- one of my favorite stew recipes. Orange and cinnamon are synonymous with cold weather. I had some stew meat in the freezer. I took it out the night before and made the stew in no time. All you need is some chicken broth and red wine. I always have mushrooms in the fridge- my daughter loves them and they are super versatile. I decided to add them to the mix. I zested and juiced an orange and added a cinnamon stick. It is amazing what those flavors put together do to any dish- whether it is a sweet or savory dish.
The stew took no time to put together. It cooked on the stove for a good half an hour, forty minutes. You can cook it even longer, depending on the meat.
Everyone loved it- the only problem was that it finished in one sitting. Everyone wanted it the next day.
- 1 to 1½ pounds 1-inch beef pieces (appropriate for stews)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Add the flour, salt and pepper to a platter, mix well and dredge the beef pieces in the seasoned flour and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Heat a large Dutch oven with the oil. Brown the seasoned beef pieces on high heat in two to three batches and keep aside.
- 3 cups sliced Cremini mushrooms
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice and zest of one navel orange
- 1 cup red wine (pinot noir)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Salt
- Pepper
Reheat the pan and add the mushrooms. Saute for 5 to 6 minutes on high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the orange juice, red wine, chicken broth and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and simmer with lid on for 30 to 40 minutes or till the beef pieces are tender. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to evaporate any excess moisture. Taste for seasonings and serve with the leftover wine and crusty bread.
