With the holidays fast approaching, thoughts turn to warming comfort food. I would even consider this Beef and Bacon Stew a worthy meal for Christmas Eve or Day. It has been a challenging week. We were hit by a freak snowstorm that normally would not occur in North Carolina. Five days without power tested our coping capacity.
It was a test of our capacity to get along without things we all take for granted. We stayed warm because our home is well insulated and we have a gas fireplace and a wood burning fireplace. We stayed well fed because we have a gas stove and oven, plus the grill grate in the fireplace. We stayed hydrated with jugs of water and other drinks. The only thing missing was a shower. That’s why we have friends. Thank you to Ron and Jackie for a much needed clean up and a delicious dinner. But next year we are getting a whole house generator. Weather in our area seems to have taken a more violent and unpredictable bent.
David is actually responsible for this delicious stew. Over the years he has been cooking more of our meals with creativity and elan. While I was finishing my wonderful new book in the series from Louis Penny, Kingdom of the Blind, he was chopping and assembling this flavorful dish. It did require a new ingredient. Miso Paste. I found it at Whole Foods in the refrigerator section near the cellophane boxed lettuces. Do not leave it out as it adds a great depth of flavor to the sauce.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I couldn’t resist including this outtake of our Christmas card photo shoot.
BEEF AND BACON STEW (BON APPETIT)
1 Bottle of dry red wine
1 2 1/2 boneless beef chuck roast
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more
8 oz. bacon
3 medium red onions
3 medium carrots
8 coves garlic
4 large sprigs thyme
2 Tbsp. white miso paste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup parsley leaves and tender stems
Crusty bread (for serving)
Complete recipe here.
That looks and sounds wonderful Penny! I am sorry you guys lost power for so long. We ended up with 18 inches here in Saluda, but our power never went out. Though down the road a couple of miles the power was out for days because of downed trees and remote roads that were not plowed. xo
Glad you stayed warm and well fed! My daughter lives in remote area of Cedar mountain. They never lost power, but couldn’t get out for about five days! Merry Christmas!
Glad you made it through the power outage, although I’m sure it was challenging. Love the pic of the family. We will miss seeing you this Christmas. Don’t forget to get your gift from under Kristen and Michael’s tree. Wishing you many blessings in the New Year.
Love the outake!
Oh trust me..I know how power outages can turn a perfectly normal person from Jekyll to Hyde..or is it the opposite? 11 days in ’98.sub zero weather.I hear you.
All these things we take for granted..like a roof..food..health..
OK..
now..MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
I was getting bleak there;)
I knew you (we) had a ton of snow and cold down there, but I had no idea you lost power. That’s scary. We, too, have the cast iron stove and fireplace, but I can’t say we’d be stocked up on food and water in the winter. You know Michigan well. So many people with trucks and plows and snowmobiles to get to town and hopefully, an open store. The generator is a smart idea. We may invest in one since Al will be retiring and we will be at the lake more (and Asheville!!!!).
Kudos to David on the making of what looks to be a sensational stew! I’m wondering if I’ll find miso paste by the Chinese section. We have a grocery with a few international aisles.
Sending good holiday wishes to you and your family. Those kiddos look sweet, lovely picture!
Jane
Your stew looks delicious Penny and perfect for that snowstorm. With power, I would have loved being at your place with a nice snow. After being without power many times, once for a week, we finally got a generator and have used it twice in just the last month. While it’s called whole house we sized it to just run the important things – HVAC, well pump, fridges & freezers, the appliance outlets in the kitchen and the electronics outlets in the living room, but only a few lights. It auto starts when needed, exercises itself weekly and I don’t know why I waited so long to get one. Ours is a Kohler.
Sorry that you had such a bad storm but it sounds like you handled it well. We have had a whole house generator at our home in New Hampshire and well as here in Florida and definitely recommend one. Wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas.
Just wanted to stop back by and wish you a Happy New Year. When will you be heading down to Florida?
It is New Years Day. We are in Savannah and head to Florida tomorrow. Weather is beautiful! Happy New Year Karen.