3 Simple stew recipes

Beef stew

2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

4 carrots, cut in 3/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

12 ounces russet  potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch chunks (about 1 3/4 cups)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

3 cups unsalted beef broth

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup tomato paste

1. Toss the beef with the 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and all the pepper.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add half the beef and cook, turning once, until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate, add the remaining beef to the pan and again brown about 4 minutes, turning once. Transfer to the plate.

3. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over medium heat; add the onion, carrot, potato, garlic, thyme and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are somewhat softened, about 5-6 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, stir the broth, flour and tomato paste together in a bowl. Stir into the skillet. Add the beef and any juices from the plate to the skillet and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer gently until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 330 calories, 34 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 466 mg sodium

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Sausage, apple and squash stew

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 Granny Smith  apples, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large fennel bulb, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

3 cups diced butternut squash (1-inch pieces)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried crumbled)

1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve. Add the apple to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, onion, garlic, and, fennel; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add the squash and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the sage, fennel, coriander, and cayenne pepper; cook 1 minute. Add the reserved sausage and the broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 8 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium and simmer until the squash is tender, about 3-4 minutes longer. Stir in the apples and cook 2 minutes, until they are warmed through. Makes 4 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 372 calories, 25 g protein, 40 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 14 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 1311 mg sodium

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Middle Eastern lamb stew

1 1/2 pounds lean boneless leg of lamb, cut in 1-inch pieces

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon saffron threads

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

4 carrots, cut across in 1/4-inch slices

1/3 cup pitted green olives

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1. Toss the lamb with the salt and cayenne. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high. Add about half the lamb and cook until browned, turning once, for a total of about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining lamb to the pan and repeat, again transferring it to the plate.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan; add the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, saffron and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is somewhat softened, about 3 minutes. Add the lamb and any juices on the plate, chicken broth and carrots. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to medium low; cover and simmer 15 minutes. Set the lid slightly ajar and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is very tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the olives and cook another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, zest and cilantro and serve. Makes 6 servings

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 321 calories, 32 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 18 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 807 mg sodium