Beef with zucchini and potatoes
Description
The dish is prepared without unnecessary complications. Serve the stew with fresh bread with a crispy crust, and the delicious sauce won't be left on the plate. The dish is ready to be served.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
One of the secrets to preparing meat is cutting it properly. You can cut it into pieces of any size, but the key is to cut across, not along the grain. Of course, if you make a mistake, it will still be edible, but we aim for culinary excellence and want to prepare tender, delicious meat, so we pay attention to the direction of the fibers. So, cut the meat into medium-sized pieces across the grain and place them in a bowl.
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Step 2
The way vegetables are cut for stewing does not affect the dish's taste. However, if all the vegetables are cut into cubes or at least resemble cubes, the finished dish will look more appealing on the plate. Moreover, if grated carrots are stewed for a long time, it will be difficult to find them in the stew later. Therefore, don't be lazy—peel the carrots and cut them into small cubes, then transfer them to a clean plate.
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Step 3
Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-sized cubes. Of course, you won't get perfectly even cubes with straight edges—the tubers are round, and trimming them into perfect shapes would mean wasting half. Transfer the cut potatoes into a deep plate. To prevent them from darkening, cover them with water.
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Step 4
Why deny yourself the pleasure of beautifully slicing onions? Peel them and cut into half-rings. You can slice them thinly if you prefer. Anyway, they won't keep their shape in the finished dish. Transfer the sliced onions to a plate.
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Step 5
The same can be said about zucchini; when properly cut into cubes, zucchini will not only add extra flavor to your dish, but also enhance its appearance.
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Step 6
We peel the garlic and finely chop it. You can use a fine grater or garlic press. But, honestly, I'm too lazy to clean out the stuck garlic afterward and wash extra tools. We only have one clove—just a couple of minutes and it's done. Transfer the minced garlic to a small plate.
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Step 7
We fry each ingredient in a pan until partially cooked. You can do it one after another, or take two pans, turn on the "energy booster" mode, and speed up the process. So, place both pans on the stove, heat them up, add a little oil. Put the chopped onion in the first pan, and the potatoes in the second.
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Step 8
Potatoes take longer to cook, so focus on the onion. Sauté it, stirring occasionally, until soft and semi-transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots to the onion and mix well. It's time to stir the potatoes in the second skillet. Cook the onion and carrots over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion turns light yellow and the carrots soften. Stir the potatoes in the second skillet. Turn off the heat under both skillets. That's it, the first stage is complete.
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Step 9
Transfer the onion and carrots to a pot. Pour a little hot water into the frying pan, rinse it, and add the liquid to the vegetables. Place the fried potatoes on top as the second layer. Meanwhile, move on to the beef. Pour a little oil into a clean, preheated frying pan and add the meat. Leave a little space between the pieces; if they are placed too tightly, the meat will release juice quickly and will not fry but rather stew, resulting in a tougher texture. Sear the beef for about 10 minutes (we don't need to fully cook it yet), then transfer it to the pot with the vegetables. Pour hot beef broth or hot boiled water over everything, if you don't have broth on hand. Season with salt, add garlic, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
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Step 10
By the end of this time, you should prepare the sauce. Usually, sauce for stew isn't made separately, but if you prepare the sauce first and then braise the meat and vegetables in it, the result will be tastier. To achieve the right consistency for our stew, you'll need flour. Pre-toast the flour until light golden on a dry skillet—this is known as dry flour roux. The entire toasting process will take about 5–7 minutes. As soon as you detect a light nutty aroma and the flour turns pale beige, immediately turn off the heat and continue stirring to prevent burning. The flour will darken slightly. While the flour is still hot, slowly pour in a cup of hot broth, which you've strained from the pot with the meat and vegetables, stirring constantly. Important! Never use cold water—otherwise, lumps will instantly form that are impossible to eliminate, and the sauce's flavor will be hopelessly ruined.
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Step 11
Mix thoroughly, using a spatula to break up any lumps; as soon as there are no lumps left, add the tomato paste. Mix well, then add soy sauce, ground black pepper, other spices, and salt to taste. Phew!
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Step 12
Pour the sauce into the pot with the meat and vegetables. Mix well, taste, and add salt if needed. Cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking over low heat for another hour. It's ready—turn off the heat and let the stew cool slightly.
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Step 13
For two hours your loved ones have been tantalized, inhaling the aromas wafting from the kitchen. It's time to delight them with the fruits of your labor. Set the table, serve the stew onto plates, perhaps garnish it with fresh herbs, and call everyone over, if there's still anyone left to summon.