Column from December 30, 2010

 Ringing in the New Year

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. We certainly did!

Now, it’s time already to celebrate the end of this year and the beginning of 2011.

I can hardly believe another year has gone by. Time sure seems to fly.

We typically stay home for New Year’s Eve. However, we do watch the beginning of the New Year on TV. It’s fun to see what others are doing around the country.

Because it’s January, the weather is usually cold, which is another reason for me to stay at home. And it’s that cold weather that makes it the ideal time for soups, chili or stew to be simmering on the stove.

Stew can actually be found in history references. It’s considered a method of cooking that is older than almost any other.

The first written record is in the Old Testament. In Genesis, Esau trades his father’s dowry with his brother Jacob for a dish of stew.

There are also Roman writings that mention stews. The first recipe was written in the 14^th century.

The two prerequisites for a dish to be considered beef stew iare that it must have beef as its main component and it is should be cooked over a direct flame in a pot with a liquid base.

Geography plays a big part in making the beef stews different from region to region. In places where the cold season is longer than usual, it is more common to find stews on the menu in abundance. The beef stew will be thicker, cook longer and have heavier ingredients

That makes this week’s recipe ideal for here in the Columbia Basin!

And when it’s done, everyone can simply help themselves, so there’s not a lot of work needed.

That leaves more time to relax and enjoy the holiday … as well as recuperate from the big Christmas rush.

Old fashioned beef stew

2 pounds stew meat

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

4 tablespoons shortening

2 cups boiling water

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 large onion, sliced

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon allspice

12 small carrots, trimmed and peeled

12 whole white pearl onion, peeled

8 small red potatoes, peeled and cut in half

1. Combine flour, salt and pepper on a piece of wax paper; roll beef cubes in the mixture, shaking off excess flour.

2. Over high heat in a Dutch oven, melt the shortening. When the shortening is very hot, add the beef chunks, about five or six pieces at a time; do not crowd. Brown on all sides and remove to plate. Repeat until all beef chunks are browned.

3. Once the meat is cooked, return all the meat to the pot. Stand back and pour on the boiling water, being careful not to burn yourself when the water spits and sputters. Next, add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, yellow onion, pearl onions, bay leaves and allspice. Stir well.

4. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until meat is tender. Do not allow the stew to dry out. Add a little more boiling water if necessary. Finally, add the carrots, onions and potatoes. Cook another 25 to 30 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes pierce easily with a fork.