Real Stew by Clifford Wright

Editor's Choice Home Cooked One Pot meals

Feb 1, 2009 Trevy Thomas

Real Stew has 300 recipes for homemade stews, gumbo, chili, chowder and many other delicious slow cooked meals.

A good stew can feed a crowd economically, cook without much attention and complete a ready to eat meal in only one pot. Real Stew is filled with delicious ideas for both traditional stews as well as some exotic new flavors. Clifford Wright has designed stew recipes that produce gourmet meals elegant enough for company fare.

Meat Stews

There are six different chapters for meat-based stews including beef, veal, lamb, pork, fowl (with goat and rabbit) and a mixed-meat section. Carnivores will have no problem finding a stew for whatever kind of meat is at hand. Tougher cuts of meat can be made tender in a slow-cooked stew, making a nutritious contribution to a low-budget meal.

Fish and Shellfish Stews

Seafood fans will find delightful one-pot meals in Real Stew. There are regional favorites, such as Maryland Seafood Stew, Maine Lobster Stew, Moroccan Fish Stew and Louisiana Shrimp Stew. Every kind of seafood imaginable is covered in this chapter, from fish to oysters, scallops, crab, clams and shrimp.

Vegetable Stews

While there are some vegetarian options in this chapter, not all of the vegetable stews are meatless, but they do feature vegetables as the main attraction. Lentils, chickpeas, rice and pasta are a few choice additions to these recipes, along with a delicious array of vegetables. Spinach, eggplant, red bell pepper, mushrooms, green beans, potatoes and turnips highlight some of the tasty vegetables featured in these stews.

Summary

While there are wonderful recipes in Real Stew, the book offers much more than that. Included throughout are mini instructions (how to pare a parsnip), ingredient explanations (what is a Lambic beer?) and shortcut tips (canned beans are not a bad thing) that are quite helpful. This cookbook would be a gem for both experienced and novice cooks.

Recipe Excerpt:

Spanish-Style Chorizo Sausage and Pepper Stew

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • One 2-inch square piece pork skin
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound Spanish or Portuguese-style chorizo sausage, cut up

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan or casserole, heat the olive oil over high heat. Cook the pork skin, onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, wine, and paprika and season with salt. Cook for 2 minutes and add the ground beef and chorizo. Cover and cook over low heat until the sausages are cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours.

Title: Real Stew

Author: Clifford A. Wright

Publisher: Harvard Common Press, 388 pgs., $18.95

ISBN: 978-1-55832-199-1

The copyright of the article Real Stew by Clifford Wright in Home Decor/Cookbooks is owned by Trevy Thomas. Permission to republish Real Stew by Clifford Wright in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Real Stew, Harvard Common Press Real Stew
   
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