Rania's Recipes: Beef Stew & Mac & Cheese 2 Ways
Beef stew and mac and cheese are great fall comfort foods. Be sure to try out these recipes from Rania Harris today!
Mac and Cheese x 2
- 1 pound elbow macaroni ~ cooked according to package directions and drained
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups whole milk – heated just to a simmer ~ do not boil
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 12 ounces)
- 2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat broiler
In a large pot, melt butter. Remove two tablespoons of the butter and combine with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside.
Into the remaining melted butter in the pot, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Whisk in the hot milk, gradually, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken and bubbles. Add the Gruyere cheese, the cheddar cheese and Dijon Mustard. Whisk until the cheeses melt and the mixture is smooth. Add in the cook macaroni and continue to cook until the macaroni is well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture into a 3 quart buttered casserole and top with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the casserole under the broiler until the crumbs turn a golden brown. Serve immediately.
Serves: 8
If you wish to make this recipe ahead, you can bake the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Mac and Cheese ~ Variation #2
- 1 pound elbow macaroni ~ cooked according to package directions and drained
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 cups whole milk – heated just to a simmer ~ do not boil
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups grated Gouda Cheese (about 12 ounces)
- 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 8 slices crisp cooked peppered thick sliced bacon ~ crumbled
- 4 small tomatoes – sliced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat broiler
In a large pot, melt butter. Remove two tablespoons of the butter and combine with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl and set aside.
Into the remaining melted butter in the pot, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Whisk in the hot milk, gradually, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken and bubbles. Add the Gouda cheese, the Gruyere cheese, Dijon mustard and crumbled bacon. Whisk until the cheeses melt. Add in the cook macaroni and continue to cook until the macaroni is well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture into a 3 quart buttered casserole and top with the sliced tomatoes and then the breadcrumb mixture. Place the casserole under the broiler until the crumbs turn a golden brown. Serve immediately.
Serves: 8
If you wish to make this recipe ahead, you can bake the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 – 35 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
One Pot Beef Stew
- 3 pounds chuck-eye roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine (preferably full-bodied)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth ~ more if needed if stew appears to be too dry
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
- 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 cup frozen peas (6 ounces), thawed
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive stew pot; add beef to pot in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty pot; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to pot. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.
Remove stew pot from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Check stew from time to time and add more beef stock, if it appears to be too dry. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Serves: 6 - 8
