Beef Stew

My husband requested beef stew the other day. So, I went out and bought everything that I needed to make stew.  After a bit of thought, something occurred to me.... the stew that I was thinking of may not have been the stew my husband was thinking of. I mean, usually when he requests something particular, it's a dish that his mom used to make and he wants me to try to recreate. But beef stew? With potatoes, carrots and tomato? Never seen him mom make that! So, I thought I would ask.

And I was right. He was actually thinking of something similar to Blanquette de Veau (French Veal Stew) or some kind of slow cooked meat in a brown sauce and starch on the side.

Oh well. With the ingredients already in the fridge, I decided to go ahead with a traditional (well, by North American standards) beef stew.

Despite the fact that it wasn't what my husband had in mind, he loved it. And so did I! The ultimate comfort food!

Blanquette de Veau (French Veal Ragout)

So, the plan was to surprise my husband with one of his favorite meals. A dish his mom used to make for him often, and that he always requests when we go to visit. Blanquette de Veau. It's basically a veal stew or ragout of sorts with a creamy sauce.

The goal was not to make it better than his mom's (because that would be virtually impossible), but just to foster a little nostalgia and warm and fuzzy, like a dish from your past should.

Rosemary & Garlic Veal Shanks

It's still winter.... even in Damascus. Clearly the Damascene winter is milder than the Canadian ones I am used to, however, I think all the moving and travelling in the Middle East has warmed my blood. After all, what Canadian can be freezing to the bone at 10 degrees Celsius?

So, I think a nice, wintery, rib sticking dish is in order. Slow cooked, rich, sauce laden veal shanks with garlic and woody, aromatic rosemary sounds good to me? Any objections?

Rosemary & Garlic Veal Shanks

Serves 4

1 kg Veal Shank (4 pieces)

1/2 cup Flour seasoned with Salt and Pepper

1/4 cup Olive Oil

3-4 sprigs Rosemary

6 cloves Garlic, whole and peeled

2 Large Onions, cut into quarters

1/2 cup White Wine

3 cups Vegetable Stock

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Place the seasoned flour in a large dish. Coat each veal shank with the seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven proof pan on medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until seared and browned.

Add the rosemary, onions, and garlic to the pan and let cook for about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring up to a boil. Then add the vegetable stock. Remove from heat, cover with foil.

Place in the preheated oven for about 2 hours, until the veal shanks are fork tender. Remove the veal shanks from the pan. Place the pan on the stove top over medium high heat. Reduce the sauce to about half.

Serve the veal shanks and sauce with rice, potatoes or polenta.