Beef Stew with Borodinsky Bread

Main Dishes | Russian cuisine

⏳ Time

1 hour 30 minutes + 30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Beef Stew with Borodinsky Bread

Ingredients

Beef - 17.6 oz
Onion - 2 pieces
Garlic - 1 head
Borodinsky Bread - 3 pieces
Sherry - 3 fl oz
Prunes - 5.3 oz
Salt - to taste
Ground coriander - to taste
Juniper Berries - to taste
Rosemary - to taste
Vegetable Oil - 4 tablespoons

Step by Step guide

Step 1

For this dish, it's better to use beef rather than veal – mature beef with a pronounced meaty aroma. Trim the meat from the shoulder or chuck, removing any visible membranes, and cut it into cubes about 3x3 cm. Quickly sauté in well-heated oil until browned, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a heatproof container with a lid (ideally, a cast iron or ceramic pot).

Step 2

In the pan where the meat was fried, add a little more oil and add finely chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until golden brown and transfer to the pot with the meat.

Step 3

Add the rinsed prunes and wine – sherry, madeira, or port – it doesn't matter as long as it is aromatic and rich. The spices here should be equally 'earthy': coriander, rosemary, juniper berries, and coarsely ground black pepper.

Step 4

Stir the contents of the pot and place it on low heat or, even better, in the oven for about one to one and a half hours (depending on the age of the cow and the cut of meat), ensuring that the liquid does not evaporate, adding broth or wine as necessary.

Step 5

Meanwhile, cut the Borodinsky bread into cubes about the same size as the meat. Spread them on a baking sheet and dry them in the same oven – they should form a firm crust but not turn into croutons. Fifteen minutes before the stew is finished, add the bread cubes to the pot.

Step 6

When the meat is ready, let it rest for about half an hour without removing it from the oven or opening the lid, defending against drooling family members.