Micki Eats (mostly gluten and dairy free)

This luxurious stew is very rich–especially if you add the toasted pecans as a garnish, but it’s very yummy. The celery root and caraway seeds give it a distinctive flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pound veal stew meat
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 oz pancetta, chopped
• 2 cups of diced portabella mushrooms
• 2 cups celery root, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 gloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon caraway seed
• 1 teaspoon fines herbes (a blend of chevril, chives, tarragon, and parsley that you can find in any spice aisle in the grocery store)
• 1 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup merlot (you can use chardonnay as a substitute)
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans
• 1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cut the veal into 1″ cubes and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, saute the veal in the butter and pancetta for 6-7 minutes turning occasionally to brown all sides.
3. Add mushrooms, celery root, onions, garlic, paprika, caraway seeds, and fines herbes. Continue to saute for 8 minutes to soften the portabellas and celery root.
4. Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.
6. To serve, divide the stew into bowls and top with pecans and mozzarella.

How Not to Screw It Up

1. If you use the Merlot, I recommend pairing a merlot to drink with the stew. If you cook with the chardonnay, serve chardonnay with the stew.
2. Take the time to toast the pecans. Toasting them in the oven on 350 degrees for about 10 minutes will bring out a richer, nuttier flavor to the final stew.
3. Make sure the saute pan that you use is large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients and still fit the cover securely. I made this mistake the first time I made the stew. You’ll lose too much heat without a snug lid, and you’ll make a mess on the stove top. Now, I use my dutch oven sized pan. A little extra room doesn’t hurt. If you don’t have a saute pan large enough, you can use a 4 1/2 to 6 quart pot.