I am spoiled. Totally and completely spoiled.

And I love it!

Having my foot in a boot has been a real inconvenience. My foot doesn’t really hurt as much as it’s just sore. But Dr Victor has decried that I follow Drs orders and stay off of it as much as possible until my appointment with the orthopedist on Tuesday.

That means he’s been doing all of the driving, shopping, and cooking – a total role-reversal for us.

I have to admit that it’s been a bit strange, but Victor is a really really good cook, so I have not been suffering in the least!

I had actually planned on making dinner tonight – beef stew – because most of the time is unattended. A bit of prep, into a low oven, dinner is served.

Victor had other ideas.

He decided he was going to make the stew tonight, because he has never made a beef stew in his life! Knowing it was futile to argue and always ready for something new, I told him to go for it!

And am I ever glad he did!

He grabbed a recipe from the NY Times cooking section and went to work.  Or, rather, he read through the recipe and then made his own version. He added some anchovy sauce we have, tomato paste… lots of red wine… all of those things that you won’t taste individually, but add depth to the entire dish. It came out fanfrikkentastick!

Old Fashioned Beef Stew

adapted from the NY Times

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into inch cubes
  • 5 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 3½ cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds
  • 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Combine the flour and pepper in a bowl, add the beef and toss to coat well. Heat 3 teaspoons of the oil in a large pot. Add the beef a few pieces at a time; do not overcrowd. Cook, turning the pieces until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add more oil as needed between batches.

Remove the beef from the pot and add the vinegar and wine. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.

Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours. Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add broth or water if the stew is dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In the immortal words of my sister, Eileen… my stomach is smiling.

And it will be smiling tomorrow at lunch!