Corsican Beef Stew with Macaroni
From Country Mediterranean
Cooking (Canada, UK), by Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow.
Ingredients:
1 ounce dried mushrooms (cepes or porcini)
6 garlic cloves
2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
4 ounces lardons, or thick bacon cut into strips
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
2 Tbsp passata
pinch of ground cinnamon
sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 cups large macaroni
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt
ground black pepper
Instructions:
Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 30
minutes. Drain, set the mushrooms aside and
reserve the liquid. Cut three of the garlic cloves into
thin strips and insert into the pieces of beef by
making little slits with a sharp knife. Push the lardons
or pieces of bacon into the beef with the garlic.
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add half the beef
and brown well on all sides. Repeat with the
remaining beef. Transfer to a plate. Add the sliced
onions to the pan and cook until lightly browned.
Crush the remaining garlic and add to the onions
with the meat.
Stir in the white wine, mushrooms, cinnamon
rosemary and bay leaf and with salt and pepper.
Cook gently for about 30 minutes, stirring often.
Strain the mushroom liquid and add to the stew with
enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and
simmer very gently for 3 hours, until the meat is very
tender.
Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling, salted
water for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Lift the pieces
of meat out of the gravy and transfer to a warmed
serving platter. Drain the pasta and layer in a bowl
with the gravy and cheese. Serve with the meat.
Yield: Serves 4