Beef Burgundy Stew

Yum

The weather has been strange around here the past few weeks.  

Raining one day, big major rain...and then 90 degrees the next.  Very unusual for this time of year for sure!  So on one of the rainy days...which always land on the weekends mind you, I decided to make a nice hearty stew.  One with wine in it!  What's better than that?  

I love the flavor red wine lends to a beef dish.  So I rooted around, found my favorite chicken and wine stew, adapted it to suit our needs and voila!  Beef Burgundy Stew on a rainy day!

We opted to have the stew over some brown rice, but MGG suggested that next time we try it over mashed potatoes, or some egg noodles.  Either way it is tummy filling, warming, comfort food at it's best.  All you need is some good crusty french bread to help get every last drop.  Better yet, try my Buttermilk Biscuits. Yum!

Hope you give this a try, it's a classic combination!

Beef Burgundy Stew
Serves: 4 

1 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium onion, sliced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½  teaspoon dried marjoram
½  teaspoon dried thyme 

1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1/8  teaspoon pepper
1 ½  cups beef broth
1 ¾ cups Burgundy wine

2 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally

4 red potatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

2 T cornstarch

Melt butter in Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions and mushrooms in butter about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender. Remove vegetables from Dutch oven; drain and reserve.

Cook beef and garlic in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Sprinkle with salt, marjoram, thyme, parsley and pepper.

Add broth and wine and heat to boiling.  Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes.  Add carrots and potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.  

To thicken stew mix cornstarch with enough water to create a smooth and slightly thick mixture.  Stir into stew and allow to thicken.  Remove from heat and serve.

Serve over rice. 

Southern Sundays

Southern Sundays

Welcome to my first linky party!

I  love visiting all of your blogs and seeing all the delicious recipes that you make week after week.  What better way to show off your talent than by sharing your links and recipes with others.  Let's have a linky party!  I'll be hosting a weekly party called Southern Sundays.  A day for family and food.  So come and join the party!!  Make sure to tell your friends!  There are many recipes to explore and lots of cooking to do!


Please feel free to post any type of culinary dish that you've made.


Guidelines:
Please become a follower by joining my site with Google Friends Connect in the right side bar.
Link back to your specific recipe and not to your main site.
Link back to Southern Sundays either in your post, or grab my Southern Sundays Button located in the right side bar.
Please visit a few of the links in the post and say hello to your fellow bloggers!
Enjoy, have fun, cook lots of food, and relish your Southern Sunday!

Molletes

Last weekend I made a huge pot of beans.  

Bean soup to be exact. Something my mother made all the time while I was growing up.  She still makes it to this day.  I thought I had posted our family Bean Soup recipe, but alas, I have not.  As I was a dummy and didn't know this when I made it I didn't take any pics to show you.  So no bean soup recipe today!  I promise I'll make it again soon so I can post it.  It's really hearty and satisfying.  Mom mostly used pinto beans however, she was also known to use navy beans, great northern beans, and a nice white cannellini bean.  All are great.


I decided to use a new bean, a pink bean.  They have a nice color and a deeper flavor than a regular pinto bean, but are along the same line.  


Beans are comfort food.  They also a very affordable and filled with protein.  The base of many vegetarian dishes, beans are so versatile you can use them in many recipes.


One way to use your leftover beans is to make Molletes.  This is a kind of Mexican comfort food.  I was first introduced to this when I visited Puerto Vallarta many years ago.  Walking through the town we came across an small older woman who was making these is a restaurant we came upon.  They were heavenly!!!  Such a simple dish of bread, beans, and cheese...but so comforting.  I think they make a  great snack or lunch but they are often served for breakfast in Mexico.  This is one dish you have to try.  If you don't have home cooked beans you could certainly use canned refried beans.  Just zip them up some and they should be fine.

I found a recipe online which I adapted to fit the way I remember them being cooked by this cute little woman.


So if you are hesitant, jump out of your comfort zone a bit and try this recipe.  It's excellent!

a little salsa on top...a nice compliment!

Molletes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 bolillos or other crusty rolls, cut in 1/2

3 cups cooked pinto beans

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

salsa or pico de gallo (optional)

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Place split rolls open face on a baking sheet and broil until lightly golden.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile drain the beans of most of the liquid, leaving just a bit. 

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.   Add the beans along with a small amount of liquid.  Mash the beans until they become a spreadable mixture, using a meat pounder, or potato masher. 

Divide the bean mixture and spread on each half of the rolls, about ¾ cup for 2 halves.  Top with shredded cheese, dividing amongst the rolls. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is melted and turning golden brown.  Serve immediately.  Note:  You may top with salsa or pico de gallo, or serve on the side.

Adapted from Marcela Valladolid