It was a very cold February.  I’m pretty sure it was record setting cold, whatever that means.  I’m very much over the whole boots, and scarf and big puffy coat and snotsicles thing, you know? And then there’s the snow.  When it’s not rip-off-your-face-windchill-and-freeze-your-eyes-shut cold, it’s snowing.  O Canada, you cruel mistress. 

We’ve been in hibernation mode the last few months weeks.  It took us all of 2 weeks to get through a months’ worth of internet data this month and I don’t even want to admit to you how many seasons of Friends I’ve breezed through on Netflix.  Read: too many.  And with hibernation comes long naps and hearty food.  In that order.

Nothing says winter comfort food like beef stew.  It’s rich, and rib sticking, and …healthy I think? Plus, it gives you something to do on an otherwise unproductive Sunday.  My day went something like this: wake up, chop some veggies, lie down, chop a few more veggies, lie down, brown some beef, lie down, deglaze the pot and get everything in there to start cooking, lie down, transfer from the stove to the oven and lie down for 3-4 hours until it’s ready to serve.  A nice little Sunday.

Ingredients:

About 1kg of stewing beef, in chunks the size of an ice cube.  You’re going to cook this low and slow so it’ll be very tender – don’t fret too much about getting a nice cut of meat. Save that money for wine.

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 onion, chopped roughly

3-4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2-3 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

About 3 cups chopped potatoes – whichever are your favourite.  I did a mix of red and yellow, because I’m an equal opportunist eater.

½ cup frozen green peas

2 cups beef stock

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 bottle of beer – I used a light pilsner but something dark and hoppy would also be good

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp ground oregano

2 tsp ground basil

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion salt

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

Dash of nutmeg

1 bay leaf

How to make it:

1) In a large pot over medium high heat, warm up 1-2 tsp of olive oil.  If you have a coated cast iron pot, use it.  If you don’t, any big oven-safe pot will do.

2) Chop all your veggies in between naps.  I went for chunks about the size of a toonie.  You can go larger or smaller, just make sure all your chunks are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. (Put your rules away, I’m not talking that precise.)

3) Lay your beef chunks on a cookie sheet and lightly dust with about half the flour, trying to get even coverage on all the pieces.  Shake off any excess.

4) In small batches, brown your meat in the pot.  “Don’t crowd the pot!” the experts always say.  I think what they mean is leave a little daylight between all the chunks of meat so that they have enough room to brown up and not just sweat each other out, like a Grade 9 dance.

5) Once all your meat is brown, set it aside on a plate.

6) The bottom of your pot is going to look all brown and gooey and a little crispy. THAT IS PERFECT.  This is when I suggest adding all your spices and Worcestershire sauce.  Scrape it around until it forms a paste.

7) Add in your beer and bayleaf and bring it to a boil.  Reduce the heat and let it simmer for a couple minutes so the beer starts to reduce.

8) Add your tomato paste and stir it around to loosen it up and get the flavours activated.  Like a tomato machine…ACTIVATE.

9) Add your veggies (except the green peas!), beef, and beef stock.  The stock should juuuust cover all your ingredients.

10) Cover and let it simmer for about half an hour.

11) Have another lie down.

12) Remove the cover and give it a stir.

13) Place it in a 300 degree oven, and maybe put a cookie sheet underneath the pot in case you’re like me and filled your pot too full and have a little stock overflow.

14) Go have a 3-4 hour nap

15) Remove the stew from the oven.  At this point your house probably smells amazing.  That means it’s working!

16) Remove the cover and let it stand for about 5-10 minutes.

17) Skim the top of pot to remove excess fat.  This is easier than it sounds.  Take a small spoon and just go around the edges of the pot, scooping out as much fat as you can.  It will feel tedious but it’s worth it.  If you get a bit of the stock in with it that’s okay.  (Sidenote: I am all about fat. Fat = flavour. In moderation, etc.  But if you leave too much of the beef fat in the stew it’ll coat your mouth when you eat it and it’s super unpleasant.)

18) Place the pot back on medium heat on the stove and add the green peas.

19) Drop in flour, one tbsp at a time, and stir and simmer until your sauce starts to thicken to the consistency you like.  Give it about 5 minutes between flour bombs to gauge how it’s working.

20) Taste your broth and season with salt, pepper and anything else that tickles your fancy.

21) Serve with warm garlic bread and red wine and then go back to bed.

I am a huge seafood fan, particularly crustaceans.  Soft shell, hard shell, any little sea creature found in a shell is fine by me.  If you can dip it in melted butter, even better I say.  A few years ago, my family and I hopped into a rented minivan and cruised down the Pacific Coast highway for what was probably the 7 best food days of my life.  Dungeness crab, craft beer, repeat.  All this is to say I love seafood and tend to surround myself with people who do too.

Last weekend was a long weekend – and what better way to celebrate Sunday Funday than an Oyster Night? Turns out, there is no better way.  An by the way, Oyster Night is now an official thing, so I’ve decided that title case is in order.  Anyhoo,  if you’re like me, you probably enjoy oysters in a restaurant, shucked by professionals, served with all the necessary accoutrements.  The idea of home-shucking is a daunting one but can I just tell you? It’s easy and doable and a LOT of fun and I think you should try it for your next party. And invite me, please.

Over Christmas I got a brief oyster-shucking lesson from my brother and -lo and behold-, it is not nearly as difficult as it looks.  Could I survive longer than 45 seconds in a professional setting, like…let’s say buck-a-shuck night at the pub down the street? Not a chance. But in the privacy of my own home, among friends who don’t (openly) judge me, I’m pretty much a pro.

The deal for Oyster Night (patent pending) was BYOS: bring your own shucker…because seriously, do I need 14 shuckers in my little condo cutlery drawer? Nope.   We pre-ordered 5 dozen oysters from Hooked which I think is the only place in Toronto you should consider buying seafood.  They are total pros…and really nice guys to boot.  We got an assortment of East Coast oysters. A party pack, if you will.

A quick demo and we were off to the races.  Normally, our parties consist of cheese plates, wine and beer and the best of intentions until the hilarity ensues, usually starting around 11pm.  Having an “activity” portion of the night really added a new level of fun and gave people something to talk about, and even the non-seafood lovers got in there and shucked around.

To host a successful Oyster Night party, you’ll need:
1) Oysters! Get a variety if you can.  It’s fun to taste test and compare, and pretend to know what you’re talking about

2) One or two large platters – I used stainless steel.

3) Ice.  lots of ice.  Both for cocktails and to keep your shucked oysters cold before you eat them.

4) A shucker! You can find these at any kitchen supply store and they’re not all that expensive.

5) Tabasco. Non negotiable.

6) A large lemon, cut into little wedges.

7) A mignonette.  Which is a very fancy French word for a mixture of minced shallots and vinegar.  The ratio is 1:1.  I used Apple Cider vinegar which was delightful, but you can use Red Wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar for equally delicious results.

8)Tea towels.  Or something to provide for your guests’  little digits, lest they slice their hands open on some of the more gnarly shells.

9) Side dishes:  I suggest garlic bread or French fries, which go really well with oysters.  Chips, cheese and crackers or anything else that says “party!” to you is also a great choice.

10) Gatorade for the morning after.

Have fun!