Asian Beef Stew

I look at the Asian pear in the fruit basket. It is almost opportune as I have just perused through a galbijim recipe. Korean food is somewhat comforting and confounding, a plethora of juxtaposed flavors. Conflicting ingredients that meld into the background. Short ribs Korean style call for Asian pears in the marinade. Intrigued by the addition of fruit to meat, I endeavor. Galbijim is all about short ribs. I walk another path with boneless beef. Usually stew beef is seasoned, floured and browned in oil and then added to the wet ingredients. This recipe calls for the meat to be roasted in the oven along with vegetables. The roasted meat turned dark brown and develops a wonderful sear. But you could easily saute the meat in a skillet till it is evenly brown. Veggies could be sauteed the same way as well. Oven versus pan fried... the first results in crustier meat. The pan fried meat allows for a softer surface. Both ways work. I go with the oven method, something I haven't tried before.

The stew past begins with onions, chopped pears, ginger and garlic sauteed till brown. The gravy is part chicken stock, part soy sauce and part Coca Cola. A surprise! An odd addition, so let's see how this turns out.Korean influences come into play with gochugaru, a spicy chile flake powder The browned meat goes into the stew till fork tender. Meat is fished out and the gravy is pureed smooth. Back into the pan it goes along with the meat, roasted potatoes and carrots. Finished with scallions, sesame seeds and sesame oil, the stew accompanies white rice. Braising stew fills the house with heavenly aroma, synonymous with that feel-good atmosphere.

ASIAN BEEF STEW
Serves 4-6

1 pound boneless Beef Chuck, cut into chunks
6 Yukon Gold Potatoes
5 Carrots
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1+ 2 tablespoon Canola Oil
1 large Red Onion
1 Asian Pear
8 Garlic cloves
5 Ginger slices
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 7oz can Coca Cola
2 tablespoons Honey
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1 teaspoon toasted Sesame Seeds
2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 teaspoons Gochugaru (Korean Chile Flakes)
4 Scallions
1/2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
Cooked White Rice





Heat oven to 400F.

Cut potatoes in half. Place in a bowl.

Cut carrots into inch pieces and add to potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper. 

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to potatoes and toss well.

Line a baking tray with foil.

Arrange veggies on one side of tray.

Add beef to bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix. Residual oil from the veggies coats the meat.

Arrange on other half of tray.

Bake for 30 minutes. Both meat and veggies should have browned well.

While meat browns start the stew by peeling and chopping onions and pear.

Roughly chop garlic.

Heat remaining canola oil in a deep saucepan.

Add chopped onions, pear, garlic and ginger to oil. Saute for 15 minutes till light brown.

Add chicken stock, cola, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and gochugaru. Bring stew to steady boil and cook for 15-20 minutes till pears are soft.

Take meat out of the oven and add to stew. Keep veggies aside.

Cover and cook meat for 1 hour or till soft when pierced with a fork.

Remove meat from stew. 

Puree the stew on a blender. Pour the blend back into the saucepan. 

Place over a low flame.

Add potatoes and carrots to the stew. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Cut scallions thinly.

Serve the stew garnished with scallions, toasted sesame seeds and oil. White rice make a good accompaniment.

The stew emanates a beguiling fragrance. A forkful of rice and stew is biting, spicy, sweetish, salty...a different kind of stew. Sweet from the pear, onion and honey. Salty from the soy sauce, Spicy from the gochugaru. And the Coke? I cant really tell. Its there in the background, unassertive. Comfort from the East..with western influences.  

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