Rania's Recipes: Beef & Beer Stew, Chicken Cacciatore

With temperatures starting to cool off, be sure to warm up with these two recipes from Rania Harris!

Beef and Beer Stew

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 slices bacon – diced
• 2 ½ pounds rump roast – cut into large chunks
• Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
• 4 medium yellow onions – thickly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic – crushed
• 1 – 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 – 12 ounce bottles dark beer
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes – peeled – cut into 1 ½ inch chunks

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place oil and bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry the bacon until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain the fat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add some of the beef to the pot and cook until browned, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with remaining beef, again removing browned beef to the platter. Add the onions and the garlic to pot and cook until softened. Spoon off and discard excess fat. Return the beef and the bacon to the pot with the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, beer, brown sugar, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer; cover and transfer to the oven. Cook the stew for 2 hours or until the meat is falling apart. Add the potatoes and continue cooking until tender, about 30 minutes longer.

To serve: ladle the stew into individual bowls and serve with crusty bread and a green salad.

Serves: 6

Chicken Cacciatore

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 ½ pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks – skin on
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 - 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
• 1/3 cup dry red wine
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions:

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with a good dash of salt, and pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add some of the chicken to the pan. Cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for 10 minutes.

Crush the tomatoes and stir them into the vegetables. Add the wine and the remaining salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and serve on individual plates.

Serves: 6