Dinner in our deep frozen town

 

I think the low last night was minus 10° F.

Dinner for a cold evening: ABC stew

Day 1: I cooked the stew, then refrigerated it overnight.
ABC: Apricots, Beef, Carrots (plus lots more ingredients).

Day 2: I rewarmed stew in oven, then adjusted seasoning on top of the stove.

The table, ready for our guests Alice and Carol to arrive for dinner.

Parsley and cilantro garnish a plate of stew. We ate it with couscous and crusty bread.

Ingredients for ABC Stew

Spice Rub: adjust amounts to your taste

Coriander

Cinnamon

Cumin

Paprika

Ground ginger

Red pepper flakes

Remaining Ingredients 

2 pounds beef stew meat

olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 large carrots, sliced

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained (optional)

1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock from concentrate

1/2 cup dates, pitted and quartered

1/2 cup dried apricots, halved

1/4 cup prunes, halved

Salt & black pepper

Serving

1/4 cup cilantro and parsley, chopped

Couscous

Crusty bread

Directions

Day 1: Mix the ingredients for the spice rub in a covered bowl; coat the beef with the spice, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

In a large frying pan with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-high heat: use enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the meat and stir to coat in the oil. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes until browned. You may need to do this in a few batches. Transfer browned meat to a bowl.

Turn the heat down, and add the onions to the pan. Brown them for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the browned meat, chickpeas (if using), tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Then add the dates prunes, and apricots. Simmer for another 1 1/2 hours. The beef should be very tender and the liquid should be thickened. Remove to oven-proof cooking pot and refrigerate over night.

Day 2: At least 1 1/2 hours before serving, reheat the stew in the oven. Adjust the thickness of the sauce by either boiling it down or by adding more liquid until result is as you like it. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cilantro and parsley and serve over couscous.

Dessert

Alice’s cookies and Blueberries

Photos © 2026 mae sander