- 8
- 30 mins
- 260 mins
Ingredients
- 4 4 1-inch pounds beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 3 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 3 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 1 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 4 4 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 4 4 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 1 14) cup pitted prunes (about 14)
- 1-inch 1-inch 1-inch piece cinnamon stick
- 10 10 10 whole cloves
- 4 4 strips 4 large strips orange zest
- 1/2 1/2 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 10 10 10 ounces pearl onions (preferably red)
- 3 3 2-inch pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1 1-inch pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1 1-inch pound parsnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 1 1/4 1/4 cups grated aged Gouda or sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation
Step 1
Directions
Stew: Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in lowest position. Season beef with salt and pepper; toss with flour to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown beef in 3 batches, scraping and wiping out pot and adding just enough oil to coat pot between batches. Transfer beef to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon oil, the ginger, and garlic to pot; cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Return beef to pot; add broth and prunes. Wrap cinnamon, cloves, zest, and peppercorns in cheesecloth, tie with kitchen twine, and add to pot. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook in oven until beef is almost tender, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, cook onions in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain, peel, and add to stew. Cover, and cook until beef is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Break up prunes; remove spice bundle. Let cool completely; refrigerate up to 5 days.
Topping: Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with 2 inches of water, and add 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Combine carrots and parsnips in another pan; cover with 2 inches of water, and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring vegetables to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes; dry out in pan on stovetop 5 minutes. Drain carrots and parsnips.
Heat milk and butter until butter is melted. Mash vegetables together; stir in milk mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool completely; refrigerate up to 5 days.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon stew into ovenproof heavy skillets or baking dishes. Cover with vegetable mash; sprinkle cheese on top. Bake until stew is bubbling and cheese is melted, about 50 minutes, depending on pan size.