The stew with potatoes and peas is a great second course made with pieces of meat from veal or beef, slowly cooked in a very flavorful sauce with potatoes and peas.
It is a complete and substantial traditional second course. Usually, along with chops and meatballs in sauce, it is the classic Sunday dish enjoyed after a good plate of baked pasta and a good piece of focaccia.
For the stew recipe, I used beef pieces, the so-called “priest’s hat” (it’s the shoulder of the cattle), but you can also ask your trusted butcher for advice on which piece is best for your tastes. You could also prepare a mixed stew with veal and pork for a tastier result.
In any case, the best cuts for making stew are definitely the cuts that are a bit fatty and less prized, like the beef chuck or the belly part. Not recommended, however, are leaner and more prized cuts, because with long cooking they become dry and hard.
Additionally, I also chose to use peas and potatoes to flavor the stew sauce, but in this case, too, if you do not like one of the two ingredients, you can use only one of them. The result will be equally delicious.
It’s an ideal second course for those who need to cook in advance for dinner. This stew, in fact, can be cooked a few hours in advance and reheated at serving time. It is also a “quick” solution because, by cooking just one dish, you have carbohydrates and proteins ready for dinner. If you accompany this stew with a side of vegetables, you will have a rich, tasty, and balanced dinner.
Making it is very simple, there are no particular difficulties. I only recommend having your butcher cut the pieces of meat more or less the same size for more uniform cooking.
The same goes for the potatoes: try to cut them into cubes all the same size. To speed up cooking, cut the potatoes into not too large cubes.
As for the peas, I used frozen ones, but you can also use fresh ones.
Well, let’s now see how to prepare this delicious stew with peas and potatoes. But first, I’ll leave you some links to other meat-based or chicken second courses that might interest you.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 489.35 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 42.00 (g) of which sugars 5.99 (g)
- Proteins 39.54 (g)
- Fat 17.30 (g) of which saturated 3.43 (g)of which unsaturated 0.34 (g)
- Fibers 6.85 (g)
- Sodium 2,226.05 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 475 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for preparing stew with potatoes and peas
- 1.5 lbs beef (or veal or pork)
- 2 cups potatoes (net of waste)
- 1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
- 1.1 cups tomato pulp
- 3.5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup white wine (or red)
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk celery
- to taste all-purpose flour (for dusting the meat)
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 glass water
Tools for preparing stew with potatoes and peas
- Chopper
- Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
- Lid
Steps to prepare stew with potatoes and peas
Let’s see together how to prepare this very delicious second course.
I recommend using a pan with a wide and thick bottom, which also has a lid, essential for perfect cooking.
To begin, clean the celery, carrot, and onion and chop them finely. For convenience, I use an electric chopper or the Bimby, but it can also be done by hand.
Put the oil and chopped vegetables in a pan. Allow to soften for 5-6 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, put some flour in a food bag (such as those for the freezer), place the pieces of meat in the bag, and shake vigorously for a few seconds until all the meat is floured. If you don’t have the bag, put some flour on a plate and proceed to flour the meat.
Remove the excess by lightly shaking the meat and put it in the pan with the chopped vegetables, raising the heat slightly. Let it flavor for about 5 minutes, turning the pieces of meat to brown them on all sides.
This step is very important because it “seals” the meat so that it retains its juices.
Deglaze with white (or red) wine over high heat, turning occasionally to flavor the meat evenly. The wine must almost completely evaporate.
Add the tomato pulp and water (about a glass).
Cook for about 15 minutes over low heat with a lid.
In the meantime, dice the potatoes and then pour them into the pot.
Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, always with a lid and moderate heat. Also, add the peas and continue cooking your stew for another 10 minutes.
Check the cooking of meat and potatoes and adjust the salt. If you like, you can also season with some pepper or chili pepper. Cooking times are relative, as it depends on how large the pieces of meat you are using are and how tender the meat is.
You can also decide the density of the sauce. If you like it more brothy, you can add a little water until you reach the desired density.
Let the stew rest for about half an hour before serving.
Serve your stew with potatoes and peas hot, accompanied by a good side of vegetables or toasted bread.
Storage
– You can prepare the stew in advance and heat it at the time. If there is any leftover, I recommend storing it in the fridge and consuming it within 24 hours because then the texture of the potatoes starts to spoil.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What are the tricks for a tender stew?
For a tender stew, you need to choose cuts that are not too lean, such as the beef chuck, shoulder parts, and belly; you need to cook it slowly and with a lid. This process, called braising, will allow the connective tissue to melt and the meat to become tender without drying out.
Can you make stew with chicken or turkey?
Sure, just choose the thigh parts and boneless drumsticks. Turkey breast and chicken breast, on the other hand, are not suitable for this type of dish because they are too lean and would dry out during cooking.
What is the best pot for cooking stew?
The best pot is one with a thick and heavy bottom or a cast iron pot: the reason is that this type of pan retains heat better and especially distributes it evenly. A pressure cooker is also a good alternative for cooking stew.
What is the purpose of dusting the meat with flour in stew?
It has a dual purpose: it helps to seal the meat during browning and makes the stew sauce thicker and creamier.
