RCP: Greek Beef Stew

This is an adaption from Paula Peck's, "Art of Good Cooking" circa 1966. Had to take out the onions because of wife's diet (feel free to put them back in), added potatoes, carrots, and 'rooms; increased the stock, and fiddled with the spices including omitting the MSG. And, of course you can put fresh herbs on top!

GREEK BEEF STEW:

3 lbs Lean chuck
4 Medium potatoes
12 oz Baby carrots
12 oz Mushrooms caps only
1 T Tomato paste
1/3 C Chopped parsley
2 tsp Crushed garlic
1 T Dry minced onion
2 tsp Lawry salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Penseys’ Bay Leaf seasoning
1 tsp Granulated onion (onion powder)
1 tsp Splenda/Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Dry oregano
¾ C Beef stock or bullion

Cut meat into bite size pieces (if not stew size to begin with). Peel potatoes and cut into bite size pieces. Cut mushroom caps half or into quarters depending on size. Add all with carrots to a 4 quart Dutch oven with cover. Add tomato paste, parsley, garlic, and minced onion. Mix remained herbs and spices together and sprinkle into pot. Toss all together with hands. Pour stock into pot. Cover and bake in a 325 degree F oven for 2 ½ hours, stirring about halfway though. Sprinkle with dry parsley leaves and serve. Recipe makes four to six servings.

Sounds like a great recipe now that cool comfort food weather is upon us. Thanks for posting it!

[Jenise]

Re the potatoes--with that long cooking, surely one would want to use a dense waxy type, not russets, right? Otherwise I'd be tempted to add those in only at the halfway point. Carrots too, perhaps.

You're right we use red potatoes. I thought someone might comment on not browning the meat. That was one of Ms Peck's ideosyncrasies.

You're right we use red potatoes. I thought someone might comment on not browning the meat. That was one of Ms Peck's ideosyncrasies.

Why isn't the meat browned? I believe it would give more depth to the flavor, or would it?

You're right we use red potatoes. I thought someone might comment on not browning the meat. That was one of Ms Peck's ideosyncrasies.

Why isn't the meat browned? I believe it would give more depth to the flavor, or would it?

Very odd... This recipe does not strike me as Greek.

[Robin Garr]

Very odd... This recipe does not strike me as Greek.

I think the first line of Carl's original post pretty much explains that, Bernie. It's from an American cookbook of the 1960s. If you'll think about some of the classic cookbooks of that era - Claiborne's <I>New York Times Cookbook</I>, for instance - you'll recall that a lot of the "ethnic" recipes were much more Americanized and less authentic than we'd expect today.

Robin pretty much hit the nail on the head. Apparently it is the cinnamon and oregano that make it "Greek."

Karen: Peck really believed that browning was not necessary. The attraction for us is that browning adds unnecessary fat, and the dish is much easier to assemble by throwing everthing into the pot and mix it up with your hands. Then just pour in the stock and stick it in the oven.

Very odd... This recipe does not strike me as Greek.

I think the first line of Carl's original post pretty much explains that, Bernie. It's from an American cookbook of the 1960s. If you'll think about some of the classic cookbooks of that era - Claiborne's <I>New York Times Cookbook</I>, for instance - you'll recall that a lot of the "ethnic" recipes were much more Americanized and less authentic than we'd expect today.

Sort of my point. Why is this recipe interesting? A Greek stew would be done a whole lot different today, and that is the recipe that most (all?) of us would be tempted by. But this? There are much better ways to make beef stew without the convenience ingredients.

[Robin Garr]

Sort of my point. Why is this recipe interesting? A Greek stew would be done a whole lot different today, and that is the recipe that most (all?) of us would be tempted by. But this? There are much better ways to make beef stew without the convenience ingredients.

I see what you're saying, Bernie, and for my personal cooking style, I'd just as soon do something more "Greek" too. But there's plenty of room for differences in personal taste, and I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from posting recipes that they like.

Robin pretty much hit the nail on the head. Apparently it is the cinnamon and oregano that make it "Greek."

Karen: Peck really believed that browning was not necessary. The attraction for us is that browning adds unnecessary fat, and the dish is much easier to assemble by throwing everthing into the pot and mix it up with your hands. Then just pour in the stock and stick it in the oven.

Wel, of course, browning (caramelization) is necessary for depth of flavor - especially with beef. That being said, certainly no precedent is being set here. This is simply *not* a braised dish. It is a "boiled" dish. As are Irish "stew." Pot au Feu, Bollito Misto ad. in.

What makes the dish Greek? Well, the fact that she calls it "Greek," that's all. The seasoning package could be from a multitude of cultures. I make a cabbage soup that I call "German Cabbage Soup." Why? I learned how to make it from a German. He called it "Cabbage Soup." For all I know he learned how to make it from an Australian aborigine.

[Jenise]

For all I know he learned how to make it from an Australian aborigine.

In which case he'd have called it Ginni Ginnidook Cabbage Soup9.