Is there anything more quintessential to winter than a hearty beef stew? Hot bowls of slurpable goodness are best enjoyed with a warm blanket, accompanied by a generously buttered cheese scone or crusty bread.
This recipe starts out familiar – with onion, garlic, carrot, celery and of course; beef – but the addition of orange, warm spices and creamy pinto beans (often used in Mexican cuisine; find them among the canned beans at the supermarket) make this one extra special.
Orange is a delicious pair for red meat; it cuts through richness and adds liveliness. When eating this stew, I was pleasantly reminded of jaffas – try it and you’ll see what I mean!
This recipe was first published in the Taupo Herald 01/09/2022. I contribute recipes on a regular basis to this local publication, which will also be shared here on my website. You can read the Taupo Herald online here - keep an eye out on each week's publication for my newest recipes.
Spiced Beef & Pinto Bean Stew with Orange
Course: Mains4
servings1
hour15
minutesA rich & fragrant take on a quinessential winter stew – the orange adds a beautiful depth of flavour.
Ingredients
750g diced beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300g carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
1 litre beef or vegetable stock
1 large celery stalk, diced
1x400g can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
8 dried apricots, diced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup tightly packed parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to season
Directions
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until evenly browned all over and juices have released. Transfer beef to a plate, keeping the juices in the pot.
- With the pot on medium-high heat, and add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add carrot. Deglaze the pan with a splash of water, then cook for an additional 5 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add beef, along with stock and celery. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add pinto beans, orange juice and zest, Worcestershire sauce, dried apricots and spices. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the broth has thickened slightly and meat is tender.
- Stir through parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, with buttered bread and an extra sprinkling of parsley.