Friday night dinner time so here is my version of a beef bourguignon – a French beef stew made with red wine. It is full of slightly fruity, complex earthy flavors, and I love it!
This beef stew has a little bit of lemon peel, some dates, and wild Cyprus oregano, all balanced by some sturdy mustard greens, beet tops, and chicory.
You’ll need:
- 2.5-3 lbs of stewing beef, cubed
- 1/2 bottle full-bodied red wine (I used Beaujolais)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- the peel of one lemon (cut into 5 long strips)
- a handful of thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 sprig of sage
- 3 large mejool dates
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 heirloom or beefsteak tomato
- 3 T whole wheat flour
- 1 T dried wild oregano
- approx 5 oz mixed leafy greens (swiss chard, red mustard, kale, spinach, beet tops etc.)
- olive oil
- salt pepper
1. Heat olive oil in your dutch oven or whatever you’re using to make the stew. Cook the shallots, onions, and garlic until lightly golden. Add in the rosemary, sage, and thyme.
2. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Deglaze with wine, stir well. Add stock, flour, lemon peel, dates, tomatoes, and wild oregano. Season. Lower heat and slowly bring to a simmer.
3. Cover the pot 3/4 of the way. Let the liquid reduce by about half, simmering for 1.5-2 hours, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning.
4. When the stew is ready, add the roughly chopped greens, mix to combine. Cook for 5-6 minutes until bright green and wilted. Turn off heat and serve immediately.
dates, what a fantastic idea and a little lemon to set it off, i really like this recipe! It must have tasted great! c
Thank you! Yes, I didn’t want it to get too sweet so all the flavors were great together.
I love the addition of dates, chard and mustard greens in this stew. Turns ho-hum into wonderful!
Thanks, Maureen!
Interesting combination of flavours there: beef and dates. I’m roasting a shoulder of lamb tomorrow, and I bet those dates would work equally well with it.
~ Misky
Hi! Thank you for stopping by and welcome:). Yes, lamb and dates (and some preserved lemons) would make a great tagine or roast!
This is a first for me, a stew with dates and lemon peel, it would taste so wonderfully exotic! You always have such unique recipes for us! xo Smidge
Thank you, Barb! I think the ‘exotic’ additions really enrich the flavor, but they are still fairly subtle, which I like.
This looks so common at first, and then you bring the dates and make this a very interesting combination of tastes! Looks delicious!
Thank you , Anne!
It’s hard to make stew look great in a photo, but you definitely managed it.
So true! I agree. And thank you!
Oh how lovely! I have made an African beef and date stew before (it’s called tukasu) but this is different and… it sounds amazing!
Oh that sounds fantastic as well, Darya!
This looks like a fabulous dish for these long, dark and cold evenings!
Yes! Super comforting and filling.