Brown butter beef stew
The rich and nutty flavour of brown butter in this stew is matched with sweet and spicy raisin bread for an unconventional family dinner. It may seem a little strange, but they are a perfect combination.
Ingredients
For stew
50g butter
1 1/2 kg beef chuck, cut into 5cm cubes
2 medium brown onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 cup white wine
2L water
2 tsp salt
1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 5cm lengths
freshly ground black pepper
raisin bread, to serve
For brown butter roux
200g butter
1/4 cup flour
Method
Step 1
Heat 25g of butter in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Fry the beef in batches until well browned and remove from the saucepan.
Step 2
Add another 25g of butter to the same pan and fry the onions until lightly browned. Return the beef to the saucepan and add the bay leaves, white wine and water. Bring to a boil and skim any scum forming on the surface. Add the salt, reduce to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours.
3. For the brown butter roux, heat the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat until golden brown. Add the flour and stir through until the mixture is thick. Continue to heat the roux for about 10 minutes, stirring until it turns a caramel colour.
4. Add the roux to the beef and onions together with the potatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the carrots. Simmer for a further 15 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are tender.Step 3
Grind over lots of black pepper and serve with thick slices of raisin bread.
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