Enjoying food for the soul | by Chef John Strand

My favorite time of year has arrived: fall. When you walk into the house from the outside cool air, and you feel the sudden change of air temperature against your face, accompanied by the wafting smell of warmth from a hearty stew that has been simmering for hours, to me there is nothing better.

Soups are great, but when you need that “stick to your ribs feeling,” a stew, with big chunks of meat and vegetables steeped in a thick pool of broth created from all the flavors of all the ingredients concentrated together, cannot be beat. The varieties of stew are numerous, so I thought I would provide a favorite recipe that is versatile enough to accommodate all tastes, simply by changing the type of meat used. My personal favorite is lamb stew, but this dish can be made using beef or even chicken. Make the cozy feeling complete by serving fresh cheesy garlic biscuits, warm apple and peach cider, and finishing the meal with a bowl of hot peach or apple cobbler. I bet you feel warmer already, and we haven’t even started cooking yet.

Lamb Stew

(Serves 8-10)

IngredIents

1-1/2 pounds thickly sliced bacon, diced

6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into

2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups beef stock

2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons white sugar

4 cups baby carrots

2 cups diced celery

1 pound pealed pearl onions

3 potatoes

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 cup dark red wine

Directions Place bacon in a large, deep skillet.

Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Put lamb, salt, pepper and flour in large mixing bowl. Toss to coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat. Place meat into stock pot (leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan). Add the garlic and yellow onion and sautéing until onion begins to brown lightly. Deglaze frying pan with the white wine. Transfer the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, adding stocks, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Add carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves and wine to pot. Reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

cheesy Garlic biscuits

(Serves 6-8)

IngredIents

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

5 tablespoons butter cut into

1/4 inch cubes

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup butter melted

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add the buttermilk and cheddar cheese; stir to combine. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. While biscuits bake, mix melted butter and minced garlic. Brush garlic butter over hot baked biscuits.

Warm apple and peach cider

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

6 cups apple cider

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

3 whole cloves

6 whole allspice berries

1 peach peel, cut into strips

1/2 lemon peel, cut into strips

Directions Pour the apple cider and maple syrup into a large stainless steel saucepan. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, peach peel and lemon peel in the center of a spice pouch or cheese cloth. Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot, but not boiling. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh cinnamon stick to each serving if desired.

Peach or apple cobbler

(Serves 6-8)

IngredIents

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup boiling water

3 1/2 cups fresh peaches or apple peeled (canned will do in a pinch)

3/4 cup white sugar

Directions Mix 3/4 cup sugar, butter or margarine, flour, salt, baking powder and milk together. Place cherries in the bottom of a 9-inch square pan. Spread dough over fruit. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and cornstarch and stir in boiling water. Pour mixture over the dough. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes. Serve warm.