Party Food

I need to start dropping recipes on here like there's no tomorrow! I have so many and I'd like to have a place to go to review and find them all besides my jumbled up messy binder! This is a much better place and they're in neat little categories that I get to pick!

So here's one that's become a favorite of everybody's since Halloween. The Pirate party this year led to some creative and fun food that I'll get on this blog eventually!  This stew was exceptional though, I even took it with me for the Master Chef casting call. Guess it wasn't "fancy" enough for them but it sure is for us!

Salmagundi (Pirate Stew)

1 lb bottom round, cut into 1" chunks

1/2 lb hard salami, cut into 1" chunks

12 medium shrimp, raw

6 cups beef broth, fat free (approx.)

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 parsnips, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup cream (optional)
1tbsp salt

In a large skillet, sear the meat in 1 tsp oil.  Place the meat in a stockpot when seared.  Add one cup of the broth to the skillet to deglaze.  Pour the broth into the stockpot with the meat, adding more broth if needed until the liquid is just below the surface of the meat.  Bring it to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of oil to the same skillet.  Add the vegetables and cook until the onions are completely translucent.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Season with salt.

After the meat has cooked one hour, add the vegetables to the stockpot, adding more broth to cover.  Simmer uncovered for another 45 minute until the meat is very tender and falls apart when prodded with a fork.  Add the salami, shrimp and wine.  Simmer another 10-15 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through.  Add additional salt if needed.  Optional:  add cream in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.  This dish serves about ten 1 1/2 cup servings and provides 9 WW+ points.

Now of course pirates served this with Sea Biscuits (hard inedible pieces of dough) but we landlubbers prefer a nice soft buttermilk biscuit or sourdough bread to sop up all those wonderful juices.  And don't forget the orange slices to prevent scurvy!  Arrrrgggghhhh!!

While the judges at Master Chef weren't impressed with this creation, you will be!  The hard salami adds a depth of flavor that you don't find in any other stew.  Enjoy!