President’s Day was on Monday. But, it’s somehow already Wednesday, and I’ve been meaning to post this for 2 days now. As always, life got a little crazy as I’m trying to watch all the best pic noms for my Oscar’s Tasting Menu (I’m seeing the last movie tonight!) and I ended up having a surprise gig to play on Sunday. But, back to Monday. I had the girls pick out a couple of ex-president’s names, as we normally do, and cooked up Ike’s Beef Stew.
Notice, there is nothing else. Typically, I try to combine the cuisines of both presidents. However, Mangia Mal picked Chester Arthur (the 21st president who assumed his position following the assassination of James Garfield in 1881) and his favorite dish was turtle steak…literally a shelled and cooked turtle on a plate: no thanks!
On the flipside, Dwight D. Eisenhower fancied himself a cook, and could be found toiling away in the Executive Mansion's kitchen. He circulated this recipe to supportive housewives who would then cook-it-up for their friends and persuade them to vote for Ike in the 1956 election. The recipe below is “of its time” and could be perked-up a bit and made better (like browning the meat first, forgoing the bouquet garni and substituting star anise for cloves, and adding in some lemon juice and fresh parsley at the end). But, since it helped him win his election, I’ve left it in its original format.
Ike’s Beef Stew
Bouquet garni
Small piece of cheesecloth and butcher’s twine
2 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
3 whole cloves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
Stew
2 pounds beef stew meat
3 cups beef stock
1 pound small white potatoes, halved
2 large carrots, sliced into ½” rounds
2 tomatoes, chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 handfuls frozen pearl onions
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
Combine the bouquet garni ingredients in the cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine.
Add the meat, stock, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and cayenne pepper in a large pot, along with a pinch of salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce and simmer on low heat, covered, for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove the lid, and the bouquet garni, and increase the heat to medium.
Stir in the frozen pearl onions.
Then, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and water together with 3 tablespoons of liquid from the pot until incorporated.
Add the flour mixture to the stew, stirring well and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until thickened.
Taste for any final seasoning needs and serve in bowls. ______________________________ Copyright 2025, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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