Recipe: 3 Delicious Winter Stews to Warm Your Heart

Looking to create some excitement in the kitchen this winter? Nothing says comfort food quite like a hearty stew so why not cook up a storm with these delicious heart-warming stew recipes? Courtesy of Rhodes Quality, these easy as pie stew recipes will fill your home with winter aromas you won’t soon forget.

Chakalaka Beef Stew

This slow-cooked stew is a one-pot winner for those chilly winter nights.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

1 x 115 g Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste Cup
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Chopped & Peeled Tomatoes
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Chakalaka Mild & Spicy
1 kg Stewing beef
65 ml (¼ cup) Cake flour
60 ml (4 Tbsp.) Sunflower oil
1 Onion, chopped
200 g Rindless bacon, chopped
2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
375 ml (1½ cup) Beef stock, hot
Salt and ground black pepper

METHOD

Cut the beef into evenly sized pieces and toss in the flour, shaking off the excess.

In a large saucepan, lightly brown the meat in 30 ml (2 Tbsp.) oil.

Remove from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean, heat remaining oil and add the onion and bacon.

Fry for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes.

Return the meat to the saucepan.

Add the beef stock.

Add the tomato paste cup, chopped & peeled tomatoes and the Rhodes Quality Chakalaka Mild & Spicy.

Cover with a lid or tin foil and simmer for 1½ hours or until the meat is tender.

Season to taste, then serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Stewed Boerewors Pie

Looking for something a little different to try with boerewors? This recipe can be served as a stew over rice or cooked up and baked into a pie. The choice is yours.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

30 ml (2 T) Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Tomato & Onion Gravy
5 ml (1 T) sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
750 g boerewors
30 ml (2 T) cake flour
150 g button mushrooms
125 ml (½ C) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
250g ready-made puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.

Add the onion and fry until softened. Add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Chop the boerewors into evenly sized pieces, about 2 cm thick. Add the boerewors to the same pan and brown the pieces lightly.

Drain any excess fat and return the onions and garlic to the pan.

Add the cake flour and stir to mix. Stir in the tomato paste and the tomato & onion gravy and bring the sauce to the boil.

Reduce the heat. Add the button mushrooms and parsley.

Season to taste and simmer for 15 minutes more or until the mushrooms are cooked and the sauce is thick.

Set aside to cool. Once the mixture is cool prepare the pie dishes.

Very lightly roll out the pastry to just a little bit larger than the pie dish. Place the cooled pie filling into the pie dish.

Brain Awareness Week: Mind-Blowing Facts You Need to Know

Brush the edge of the dish with water and place the pastry over the top, sticking the edges to the pie dish. Make a hole in the middle of the “lid” with the tip of the knife to let steam escape as the pie bakes.

Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190˚C for 30 – 35 minutes until the pastry is crisp, puffed up and deep golden brown.

Green Bean & Tomato Bredie

Add some variety to this traditional South African dish by including green beans. And, by bulking this stew up with more veg, you get more meal for your money.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 – 6)

2 x 410 g cans Rhodes Quality Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Cross Cut Green Beans, drained
1.2 kg sliced lamb knuckles or stewing lamb
125 ml (½ C) seasoned flour
Sunflower oil for frying
1 chopped onion
1 chopped red pepper
15 ml chopped garlic
15 ml chopped fresh rosemary (or 5 ml dried)
250 ml (1 C) prepared chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper, sugar and a pinch of chilli powder or chilli flakes

METHOD

Sprinkle the meat with the flour and brown in batches in the oil. Set aside.

In the same saucepan, fry the onion and red pepper until soft.

Stir in the garlic and rosemary and fry until aromatic, about a minute.

Add the whole peeled tomatoes, stock, bay leaves and seasoning to taste then bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking.

Add the green beans and serve.