Catalan-Style Beef Stew with Mushrooms

Name: Catalan-Style Beef Stew with Mushrooms
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Spanish & Portuguese
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons, olive oil; 2 , large onions, chopped fine; 1/2 teaspoon, sugar; , Kosher salt and pepper; 2 , plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, pulp grated on large holes of box grater, and skins discarded; 1 teaspoon, smoked paprika; 1 , bay leaf; 1 1/2 cups, dry white wine; 1 1/2 cups, water; 1 large sprig, fresh thyme; 1/4 teaspoon, ground cinnamon; 2 1/2 pounds boneless, beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes; 1/4 cup whole, blanched almonds; 2 tablespoons, olive oil; 1 slice, hearty white sandwich bread, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces; 2 , garlic cloves, peeled; 3 tablespoons, minced fresh parsley; 1/2 pound, oyster mushrooms, trimmed; 1 teaspoon, sherry vinegar

46 comments

Appears in Cook's Illustrated January/February 2012, America's Test Kitchen TV

When we took a closer look at the way Spanish cooks make beef stew, we found a whole new approach to one of our favorite winter dishes.

SERVES4 to 6

TIME3¾ hours

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Supremely beefy and complexly flavored, Spanish beef stew is a little different than its American counterpart. It starts with a sofrito, a slow-cooked mixture of onions, spices, and herbs that builds a flavor-packed base. Next we swapped ou...

This is a members' feature.