One-pot
wonders
Savory dishes are deeply satisfying
56 The Costco Connection february 2011
By Bruce Aidells
The idea of cooking a satisfying meal in a single pot has
deep roots all over the world.
While the easy cleanup of having to wash only a single pot
may have been a minor motivation, the need to provide a family supper was probably inspired
more by economic necessity and
limited cooking facilities (think
fireplace, campfire or hole in the ground).
Most often these recipes made good use of
tougher, cheaper meat cuts, and cooking
slowly in one pot conserved the use of
precious fuel.
Today economic necessity may still be
the motivation for one-pot meals, but
probably the best reason is the many deli-
cious dishes from different cuisines to
choose from. While these dishes require a
few hours of slow cooking, the actual prep-
aration time isn’t lengthy. Best of
all for the busy cook, they all ben-
efit and improve from being
made a day or two ahead and
refrigerated. When ready to serve
they can be quickly defatted (sim-
ply spoon the fat off the top) and
gently rewarmed.
Since leftovers are a precious
asset in the fridge, i have por-
tioned the recipes (six to eight
servings) to provide enough food for the
next day. for entertaining they are ideal
served buffet-style from a chafing dish or
slow cooker. C
Bruce Aidells
Bruce Aidells is co-author of The Complete
Meat Cookbook and star of Good Cookin’
with Bruce aidells, which airs on Live Well
Network or can be viewed at
www.livewell
network.com or on Facebook at www.face
book.com/goodcookin.
California Beef Stew with Zinfandel
3 to 4 pounds beef chuck or round, cut into
2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ pound pancetta, cut into ½-inch dice
¼ pound dry coppa, cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 cups (about 1 bottle minus a taste for
the cook) California Zinfandel
2 cups chopped canned Italian-style tomatoes
1 cup beef stock, preferably homemade,
or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
HERB AND PAPRIKA RUB FOR BEEF
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon paprika, preferably sweet
Hungarian
2 teaspoons freshly ground coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
To make the rub, mix all rub ingredients. Toss
the mixture with the beef, cover and marinate at
room temperature for up to 2 hours or overnight in
the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a large Dutch
oven or heavy lidded pot, heat olive oil over medium
heat. Cook the pancetta and coppa until the fat is
rendered and pancetta is golden, about 5 minutes,
stirring often. Remove the pancetta and coppa with
a slotted spoon; drain them on paper towels.
Beatriz Da COsta
Toss the seasoned beef with the flour in a large
shallow bowl, shaking off excess flour. Brown the
meat on all sides over medium-high heat, then
transfer it to a platter. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons
of the fat from the pot.
Add the onions and garlic, reduce heat to
medium and cover pot. Cook and stir until the
onions are soft and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom
of the pot. Add the wine to the pot and bring to a
boil; scrape up any more browned bits from the
bottom of the pot.
Return the beef, pancetta and coppa to the pot
along with the tomatoes, beef stock and bay leaf.
Bring to a simmer, stirring well. Cover the pot, put
the stew in the oven and bake until the beef is fork-tender, about 2 to 2½ hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and degrease
any fat from the surface. Taste the stew; if it’s watery
remove the solids and boil the liquid to concentrate
the flavor and slightly thicken the sauce. Remove the
bay leaf and return solids. Adjust seasoning with salt
and pepper, and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
The Costco Connection
You’ll find meats, vegetables and other fresh
ingredients for these delicious one-pot meals
and all your cooking needs at your local
Costco warehouse.
