Beef Stew

I usually just get the beef the grocery packages as 'stew meat', although chuck is good too. It's okay if you use a cheap cut, because it'll be cooking for a good long time. Serve this with a good bread and a salad, and you've got a complete meal.

3 pounds beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup water and 1 cup red wine or 2 cups water (a hearty red like burgundy or merlot is good)
15 ounce can tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
Bay leaf (1 large or 2 small)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sliced carrots or 2 cups baby carrots
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 pound pearl onions

Brown meat thoroughly on all sides in the oil. Add water, wine, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion and all seasonings; cover and simmer at low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf.
Add more water if needed.
Add carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and pearl onions; cover and cook 30 minutes or until vegetables are done. 6-8 servings.

Chicken Marengo

I understand this one originates with Napoleon: its supposedly from a dish his personal chef whipped up to celebrate the French win at the battle of Marengo.

2 pounds chicken (cut up)
1/4 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 clove minced garlic
1 8 ounce tomatoes
4 ounces frozen pearl onions
1/3 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Brown chicken in a dutch oven. Remove and set aside. Add mushrooms and garlic, stir over low heat till lightly browned. Add tomatoes, vegetables, thyme, bay leaf and bouillon cube. Bring to boil. Salt and pepper chicken; return to pot. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, until tender.

Optional: after simmering, remove chicken and keep warm. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons water to make gravy. Return chicken to mixture and serve.

Lentils

In our family, we make lentils as a main dish, sort of like a very thick soup we usually serve over noodles, with a dash of cider vinegar. (See the recipe for spatzle!) It can be made with or without meat or the wine, as you prefer. Pretty much all the ingredients --- the onion, salt & pepper, any meat --- can be increased or decreased to taste. You can also use plain old hotdogs, bratwurst or about a cup of salt pork instead of knockwurst; if you do use the salt pork, don't add any other salt. One person in the family liked to simmer her lentils for only 45 minutes; another used to insist on two hours: lentils are very flexible, forgiving and cheap!

1 1-pound bag of dried lentils
1 cup chopped onion
1 large bay leaf
4 cups water
1 cup hearty red wine (burgundy or merlot is good)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4-6 knockwurst

Wash lentils thoroughly. Simmer at a very low heat in a large heavy pot with the water, onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper for an hour to an hour and a quarter. Stir frequently, adding more water as needed.
Add knockwurst, simmer about ten more minutes, serve.