Beef stew with mango and pumpkin

6 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
12ouncesLean beef (trimmed sirloin); in stewing pieces
2teaspoonsOlive oil; light
½cupMinced onion
2Garlic cloves; minced
cupBeef bouillon; or mushroom
1cupChopped tomatoes with puree; mixed with
1tablespoonRed wine vinegar; (up to 3 tbsp) (or balsamic vinegar)
½teaspoonDried oregano
½teaspoonDried thyme; or less by half
Salt and pepper
cupPumpkin cubes; (about 13 ounces)
Cut into 1-inch pieces
1mediumCarrot; 1/2\" diagonal slices
2cupsMango; fresh or frozen, cut into 1-inch dice
¾cupCorn kernels; drained
cupSeedless raisins; black or golden
3cupsCooked white rice
3tablespoonsChopped fresh cilantro
4ouncesNonfat plain yogurt; mixed with
4tablespoonsNonfat dry milk powder; set aside for 30min
Spinach and romaine salad

Directions

ADDITIONS

OTHER

TO SERVE

We reduced meat from 2 pounds beef chuck to 6/8-pound of lean, trimmed sirloin; oil from 2 tbsp to 2 tsp. Used golden raisins; balsamic vinegar.

Substituted mango. A winner! 12/15/97 In food processor, finely chop the onion and garlic together. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

Lightly season with pepper and salt. Saute the beef with the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until it is brown on all sides, and the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the bouillon (stock or water may be substituted). Add the bouillon, tomatoes, red wine vinegar (or balsamic vinegar) and oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to the stew pot. Stir well. Reduce heat and simmer the stew, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Raise the heat so that the stew boils moderately, add the pumpkin squash and carrot (1-inch pieces, ½-inch slices). Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes, reduce heat to prevent scorching or boil-over. Stir the stir. Next add the peaches, corn, and raisins. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust the pepper and salt; oregano and thyme, if necessary.

Ladle the stew into wide soup bowls over or along side a bed of rice.

Garnish with cilantro. Dollop with the blended yogurt. PER SERVING: 10 ounces of meat: 332⅕ cals, 4⅘ g fat (12⅘% cff); 12 ounces 345 cals, 5.3 g fat (13⅗%). For balance, serve with a spinach and romaine salad.

SOURCE: Beef Stew with Peaches and Pumpkin. In Latin American Cooking Across the USA (1997) by Himilce Novas and Rosemary Silva (Random House).

For festive occasions in autumn and winter, Argentine Americans may serve this stew en zapallo, in a carved pumpkin that has been baked separately.

Some of the pumpkin flesh is scooped out when the stew is ladled into bowls. For less fuss, cook chunks of pumpkin right in the stew as in this recipe for CARBONADA CRIOLLA. The zapallo or pumpkin used in Argentina resembles the West Indiian calabaza, which is a green pumpkin, also called Cuban Squash. Substitute sugar pumpkin, Hubbard squash, butternut, banana, or even acorn squash. For the fruit, use 3 medium ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1-inch dice; or 6 canned peach halves, drained and cut into 1-inch dice. Serves 4 without rice and 6 with rice.

Recipe by: Latin American Cooking Across the USA /path Dec 1997 Posted to Digest eat-lf.v097.n318 by KitPATh <phannema@...> on Dec 16, 1997