Yoda's Rootleaf Stew by Craig Claiborne
I just tried this Star Wars inspired stew recipe that my 10-year-old son found in a Star Wars magazine. I made it to inspire him to learn cooking, little expecting that we would actually LOVE it! You have to try this.
I just tried this Star Wars inspired stew recipe that my 10-year-old son found in a Star Wars magazine. I made it to inspire him to learn cooking, little expecting that we would actually LOVE it! You have to try this.
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds lean lamb or other meat
- salt to taste if desired
- pepper to taste freshly ground
- 6 tablespoons oil, light or vegetable or other
- 6 cups parsley finely chopped
- 3 cups onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons ginger root finely minced
- 1 teaspoon hot green or red chilies finely chopped, seeded
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamon ground
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 pounds fresh spinach well rinsed and tough stems removed.
- Carbohydrate 16.19488203125 g
- Cholesterol 357.84 mg
- Fat 51.48101171875 g
- Fiber 6.68153134208918 g
- Protein 32.3251090625 g
- Saturated Fat 20.714539875 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (456g)
- Sodium 281.315015625 mg
- Sugar 9.51335068916083 g
- Trans Fat 5.167760046875 g
- Calories 645 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut the meat into one inch cubes, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat half the oil in a heavy skillet and add the meat, turning to brown the pieces on all sides.
- Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven or heavy casserole and add parsley, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring often until the onions are wilted. Add the meat, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger root, chilies, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. (I add about 2 teaspoons salt at this point, then adjust at end)
- Add water to cover, bring to boil and cover tightly. Let simmer about 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the meat is quite tender.
- Meanwhile, drop the spinach into a kettle of boiling water with salt to taste and let simmer about five minutes. Drain well and run under cold water. Drain thoroughly.
- Squeeze the spinach to remove all excess liquid. Place the spinach on a chopping block and chop coarsely.
- Add the spinach to the stew and stir. Let simmer together about five minutes.
Long ingredient lists rarely reveal how a dish actually behaves in a hot kitchen. Beneath the heavy volume of greens and spices in this formulation lies a substantial moisture-management challenge that requires careful equipment choices from the outset.
Vessel Selection and Thermal Control
Brown the three pounds of meat in batches using a wide skillet to ensure the surfaces develop a proper Maillard crust rather than steaming in their own juices. Transfer those browned cubes into a heavy Dutch oven or cast-iron casserole with a tight-fitting lid to maintain an even simmer over low heat for the required two to two-and-a-half-hour duration. Thin pots will cause scorching during the long simmer because the spices and aromatics settle heavily at the base.
Managing High-Moisture Greens
Three pounds of fresh spinach yield an enormous amount of water if introduced incorrectly. Blanching the leaves separately and wringing them completely dry prevents the final broth from turning bitter or overly watery. Freezing this preparation works well if done before the final incorporation of the greens, though adding freshly blanched spinach after thawing preserves the bright flavor.
