A simple beef stew with some guts. If you can get your hands on fresh horseradish, substitute peeled 1/4-inch-thick slices of it for about half the potatoes; it develops a mild flavor and pleasant texture as it cooks. (Horseradish loses most of its harshness with heat; that’s why you do not add the prepared horseradish until the last few minutes of cooking.) Other cuts of meat you can use here: lamb or veal shoulder.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch chunks

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 tablespoons butter or more oil

　　1 large onion, chopped

　　1 celery stalk, chopped

　　2 carrots, chopped

　　2 or 3 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

　　1 cup beef or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160)

　　1/4 cup white or wine vinegar

　　1 bunch of fresh dill

　　Sharp Horseradish Sauce (page 607) or prepared horseradish to taste

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a large deep skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid and place over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown it well, 10 minutes or more (you may have to brown it in batches), sprinkling it with salt and pepper as it cooks. As the pieces brown, transfer them to a plate. Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool a bit.

　　

Step 2

Return the heat to medium and put the butter in the pan; when it melts, add the onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and sprinkling with salt and pepper, until the onion is soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the stock and vinegar and let the mixture bubble for about a minute; return the meat to the pan. Remove about 1/2 cup of dill leaves and reserve; tie the dill stems with the remaining attached leaves into a bundle and add to the bubbling liquid.

　　

Step 3

Cover the pan and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but not violently. Cook until the meat is tender, at least an hour. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The dish may be prepared in advance to this point, cooled, then covered and refrigerated for up to a couple of days. If you like, skim the fat before reheating.) Stir in a tablespoon or two of horseradish sauce; taste again and add more if you like. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved dill.

　　

Sour Beef Stew, Scandinavian Style

Step 4

In step 1, use half butter, half oil. In step 2, add 6 anchovy fillets and 2 bay leaves along with the onion and other vegetables; add 1 tablespoon sugar along with the stock. Proceed as directed; the horseradish sauce is optional (though it is commonly used).

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.