1.Preheat the oven to 300 ̊.
2.Heat the oil in a large (11- to 12-inch)
Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the
pancetta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until
browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer
the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper
towel and set aside.
3.Meanwhile, season the short ribs all
over with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon
pepper. Brown half the meat in the
Dutch oven over medium heat, turning
occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until
browned on all sides. Transfer the meat
to a bowl and brown the second batch.
(Don’t cook them all in one batch or they
won’t brown!) Transfer the second batch
to the bowl and set aside.
4.Off the heat, add the Cognac and
⅓ cup of the wine to the pot, scraping up
any browned bits, then simmer over
medium heat for one minute. Add the
onions and fennel and sauté, stirring
occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes, until thevegetables are tender. Add the garlic and
cook for one minute.
5.Stir the tomatoes and tomato paste into
the vegetables. Add the remaining ⅔ cup of
wine, the beef broth, the seared meat (and
juices), 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon
pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and bake
for 1¼ hours, checking occasionally to be
sure the liquid is simmering.
6.Degrease the stew, if necessary. Stir in
the carrots and potatoes, cover and bake
for one hour longer, until the vegetables
and meat are very tender when tested with
a fork. Just before serving, stir in the peas
and pancetta, taste for seasonings and
serve hot in large, shallow bowls.*Citterio makes a 4-ounce package
of perfectly diced pancetta.MAKE IT AHEAD Reheat over medium-
low heat, adding beef broth and a splash
of red wine.3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 ounces small-diced pancetta*
3 pounds boneless short ribs,
cut in 1½-inch chunks
(4½ pounds on the bone)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
¼ cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup hearty red wine, such as a
Côtes du Rhône or Chianti, divided
2 cups chopped yellow onions
(2 onions)
2 cups chopped fennel, trimmed and
cored (1 large bulb)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes,
including the juices
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups beef broth, such as College Inn
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and
cut ½ inch thick diagonally
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes,
scrubbed, 1-inch diced
10 ounces frozen peasULTIMATE BEEF STEW ACTIVE: 45 min l TOTAL: 3 hr l SERVES: 6 to 8
na Garten couldn’t possibly have known when she started
working on her latest cookbook how much we’d all need
comfort food right now. She came up with the concept for
Modern Comfort Food more than two years ago, figuring the book
would arrive just before the presidential election and that we might
be a bit stressed. “Little did I know that 2020 would bring so much
more,” she says. “Right now I think we just want really simple
comforting foods that make us feel good.” In many ways, the book
seems meant to be. “It was the easiest one I’ve ever written. I tend to
gravitate toward comfort food anyway, and I found that the book just
flowed in a way I don’t ever remember.” Many of the recipes are the
culmination of years of experimentation and taste memories. This
beef stew was inspired by the takeout stews Ina and Jeffrey ate in
their tent when they camped outside Paris in the spring and summer
of 1971. “Over the years I learned a lot about what makes beef stew
really delicious,” she says. “A nice red wine, short ribs instead of
chuck. It’s a classic recipe, just done in a more modern way.”($35,.
OCTOBER 2020 ●FOOD NETWORK MAGAZINE 81
weekend
cookingRECIPE REPRINTED FROM
MODERN COMFORT FOOD.
COPYRIGHT © 2020 BY INA GARTEN. PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT © 2020 BY QUENTIN BACON.
PUBLISHED BY CLARKSON POTTER/PUBLISHERS, AN IMPRINT OF RANDOM HOUSE, A DIVISION OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE.I
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Right now I think we just want
really simple comforting foods