Butcher’s Stew
Ștefan Baciu, 07.05.2017, 13:56
A stew is one of the simplest and handiest of dishes, which can be made at any time of the year. However, todays recipe is best made in spring or autumn, when garden grown vegetables are available and plentiful. It may contain either or all of potatoes, onions, cabbage, peas, carrots, green beans, garlic, courgettes, celeriac, parsnip, etc.
The vegetarian version of this stew is referred to usually as a monks stew. There are versions with fish, chicken, or even mixed pork, beef and mutton. The latter is referred to as a butchers stew because legend has it that it was created in the back room of a butchers. The famous foodie Pastorel Teodoreanu, in his book Gastronomica, introduced a mid-20th century readership to the recipe, using bits of beef, pork, mutton, and sweetmeats. In the original, the meat is browned in lard, but nowadays it is mostly fried in oil. Sweetmeats are also less popular than before, but it is a recommendation. You need about a quarter of a kilo each of the kinds of meat, which you first brown in a Dutch oven, then add water to in order to simmer.
Take about three quarters of a kilo of potatoes, 3 or 4 carrots, one celery root, two or three onions, a small head of cabbage or cauliflower, 200 grams of green beans, and 200 grams of green peas. You can also add courgettes, aubergines and green or red pepper. Cube the vegetables, slice the carrots, and shred the cabbage. Sweat the onion in oil, then transfer them to a pot of boiling water, enough to cover the vegetables. If the vegetables are canned or frozen, add them later. Mix in tomato juice, and let boil to mix the flavors. At the end add shredded parsley and celery leaves. Serve with chilled wine. Enjoy!
