So the temps cooled off and I was thinking about the holidays...beyond Halloween-I think Thanksgiving is my all time favorite in part because of all the great food! But Election Days like tomorrow only come around every 4 years-and perhaps ones like this only once in a lifetime? I thought it would be fun to make something special to commemorate the moment, but not without a catch! This was an entirely new recipe for me and I wasn't sure if any of us would like it. And when you do try something as special as this, there has to be something attached to it...like a challenge or something. I was nervous but I knew it had to be done. So if you liked it, that meant the good guys would win election, but if you didn't like it that means the "bad guys" could win...we LOVED it!! I have not figured out how that plays for everyone but I figure nobody expects to pick for a "bad guy" right? They think that their candidate was the good one...something like that. And with that brilliant summation of how it all is supposed to work, here is the recipe:
Rocky's Pre-Election Beef Barley Stew (and it's pretty hard to mess up-feel free to improvise)
2 pounds stew meat
Salt and pepper (duh)
2-3 onions. sliced
4 or so garlic cloves. chopped
a smidge of olive oil
a little bit of butter
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 accidental teaspoon of allspice (I guess it was supposed to be half that but I read it wrong-hey it worked!!!)
a couple tablespoons or so of flour
A big package of either beef or chicken or veggie stock.
A little rosemary-I didn't have a "sprig" so I just put some of what I had in spice rack.
3 carrots, sliced.
At least a Tablespoon of red wine vinegar...but I'd think I might do more next time)
Some barley. I found a unmarked bag in the cupboard that had been there for quite some time and I took a chance that is was actually barley-it was-yay!! I think it might have been about a cup or so and I used all of it.
Oh-and at least 1 beer! (or two-you can drink one while you pour other one in)
Start heating up the crockpot. Put like half your meat in the bowl with some flour and try to lightly coat it...this was harder than I thought but I managed-fyi). Then put that in the pan on stove with some olive oil and butter heated up-it's too much meat for 1 load so you'll need to do this step twice, letting it sear for about 5 minutes. Pour your broth in the crockpot with your barley. Toss in some salt and pepper for giggles. Pour your seared meat into the crockpot with all that juicy goodness for sure! Then take your pan and heat up some more olive oil, then put in garlic and onions and I guess saute it for a few minutes but don't let the garlic burn! Dump that in the crockpot...smells delicious. then dump in the extra allspice (who knew?) and coriander, rosemary and then stir...and now-drink a beer. and pour a beer in the crockpot (next time I will use the "1 for you and 1 for me" method and see how that goes). Add in your carrots and some vinegar and stir, then let it set in that crockpot and simmer all that goodness together...oh my. After 3-4 hours prepare to have your world rocked!! Boom-that's good stuff!! Unless you were voting for the bad guys and then it will really leave a bad taste in your mouth!
Final step: Go VOTE!!!!