Moroccan Beef Stew

I received a subscription to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street for my birthday and after a couple of months decided to set the goal of cooking two recipes from the magazine each week. Otherwise, the issues come and go, I page through the recipes and lust after them, and nothing ever comes of it.

It’s been a fun challenge so far, and I don’t restrict myself to a single issue each week. So, for instance, I might plan to make the Kenyan Coconut Chicken from January/February 2020 on Monday, and then on Wednesday the Sitr-Fried Garlic Beef with Scallions from September/October 2019.

Some of the recipes call for more out-of-the-ordinary ingredients, and I justify the expense by picking simpler budget meals for other days that week. I’ve also noticed that a lot of the ingredients are recurring, so if you plan strategically you can use that unusual ingredient again in another recipe the following week.

Last week when I was meal planning I was particularly struck by the Spicy South African Beef Stew (November/December 2019)—especially because it’s served on top of french fries (!!!).

I just couldn’t get it out of my head. I loved the idea of a comforting beef stew served on top of the ever-comforting french fries.

But when I took a closer look at the ingredients, I was a little miffed. Why? Well, it calls for half a cup of brandy, and we didn’t have any on hand, and I didn’t want to go out of my regular shopping route to get some, and… well… it just kills me to *waste* some lovely brandy in a weeknight stew.

(I know I KNOW it’s worth it, and a lot of classic stews and roasts are definitely improved by that hefty dose of liquor like brandy or sherry, but still.)

As I debated the recipe and thought about the ingredients I was reminded of a Moroccan Beef Stew that I used to make quite regularly. Granted, Morocco and South Africa are on opposite ends of the continent, but Milk Street points out that their featured dish was likely brought to South Africa via Mozambique/Angola by the Portuguese. And Portugal really isn’t so far from Morocco…so my assessment of these two recipes being related in flavor profile isn’t that far off.

Besides, Milk Street’s descriptions of the key notes of their South African Beef Stew recipe struck a chord with what little I know of Moroccan food: “savory-sweetness,” “touch of fruitiness,” “olives offer brininess,” “layers of bold flavor,” and so forth.

ALL OF THAT to say I ended up revisiting my Moroccan Beef Stew recipe of old, was reminded of why I love it so, and followed Milk Street’s brilliant suggestion of serving the stew over french fries to satisfy my comfort cravings.

Ingredients:

1 3/4 lbs beef roast (chuck or round both work well; short ribs are a more expensive and tender option), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup Kalmatta olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup golden raisins (roughly chopped if jumbo)
1 15-oz can chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lemon zest
olive oil, for sautéing
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Over medium high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan with a lid (like a dutch oven). Sprinkle cubed beef generously with salt and pepper. Working in two or three batches, brown the beef in the hot oil, about 1 minute per side. Set aside browned beef.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot, stir in onion, carrot and garlic, and continue to sauté at medium heat stirring frequently until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-10 minutes. Add in paprika, cumin and cinnamon and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in broth all at once and stir well, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add olives, raisins, chickpeas and the browned beef with any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until beef is very tender, about 1.5-2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove lid and stir in cilantro and lemon zest. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestion: Serve over rice or couscous, alongside roasted potatoes, with a side of crusty bread, or on top of our quick & crispy french fries.

Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2006.

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