I'm Trying Not to Hate Winter: Beef Stew with Cinnamon and Rice Noodles

I’m trying not to be a person who hates winter. Comfort food is an important part of that plan, and the vast majority of foods I find comforting are off-limits as written. Sure, you can skip an ingredient here or there – really, when’s the last time you really noticed the paprika? – and we’re very savvy about substitutions. But there’s a point at which you just can’t leave things out anymore, and beef stew has been a casualty of the nightshade intolerance.

Certain foods are simply supposed to be made certain ways, and beef stew without tomatoes and potatoes Just Isn’t The Same no matter how many times David tries to convince me that rutabagas are just like Yukon Gold potatoes (they’re not). Rice milk isn’t really a substitute for heavy cream any more than carob tastes just like chocolate and Tofutti tastes just like ice cream (it tastes like evil, in case you’re wondering), and the whole time I’m eating I’m going to be thinking about all the ways in which rutabagas, rice milk, Tofutti, and all the other substituted ingredients aren’t quite right. I’d rather skip it entirely, like ‘no-bake cheesecake.’

Beef stew is one of the quintessential winter comfort foods, so I kept looking for a version that didn't use tomatoes or potatoes or a flour-based roux and didn't make me notice the difference. This recipe fit the bill perfectly. It’s meant to be watery, like a soup, but there’s so much flavor packed into it – you can load it up with noodles or pour it over rice or eat it like a soup and it will be equally delicious and satisfying.

The recipe comes from the All-New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook. Cooking Light magazine was a favorite of ours for years; I still get the annual cookbook, which always includes some excellent menu ideas. 

Beef Stew with Cinnamon

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 lb stew beef

5 cups water

1 ½ cups sake

¾ cup GF soy sauce

¼ cup sugar

1 bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cinnamon sticks

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 package baby spinach

Cut the stew beef into small pieces (about 1-1 ½ inches; the pieces you get from the meat counter are too big). Heath the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the meat in batches.

When all the meat is browned, put it back in the Dutch oven and add the rest of the ingredients (except the spinach). Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer 2 hours or until the beef is very tender.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and ginger (if you can find it – I often leave it in). Stir in the spinach and cook another few minutes. Serve over rice noodles or rice.