Its been a long and cold winter. We finally made it to February and spring is just around the corner (we hope)! Since usually this time of the season we all need a little inspiration in our everyday lives, we want to bring some inspiration to your kitchen! Here are some recipes from Alaska From Scratch that we can’t wait to cozy up with this month!
Crockpot Beef & Barley Stew
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
4 yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 bay leaf
6 cups beef broth
1 cup barley (I used 100% whole barley from Alaska Flour Company, but pearled barley can also be used)
fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish
To a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil. Season the beef generously with kosher salt and pepper. Working in batches in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, sear the meat until browned on all sides. Transfer the seared beef to a plate to rest while repeating with the remaining batches.
When all of the beef has been seared and set aside, add the carrots and onion to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pan and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and rosemary. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Stir in the tomato paste, dijon mustard, thyme, and bay leaf.
Hearty Split Pea Soup with Lemon & Olive Oil Croutons
For the Soup:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, greens removed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dry split peas
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ham hock*
8-10 cups** of water
1 1/2 cups potato, peeled and chopped (I used an Alaska potato, similar to Yukon Gold)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
chives, for serving (optional)
For the Croutons:
2 cups cubed French bread
olive oil
sea salt
pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
To a large pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, peas, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and ham hock. Cover with water, turn heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. When the soup comes to a simmer, a bubbly film will rise to the top of the pot. Skim this off and discard (if you get some vegetables and herbs when you skim, simply rinse them and return them to the pot). Then, cover the soup leaving the lid just slightly open, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often so the soup doesn't stick as it thickens, 1 hour.
Remove the ham hock to a cutting board to cool. Add the potatoes to the soup and stir. Cover and cook another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the peas are no longer firm (they turn to mush and become the thick base of the soup). During this time, remove the meat from the hock and chop it up finely, discarding any fat. Stir the ham into the soup.
Crab Artichoke Dip
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 14-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, well-drained and chopped
10 ounces lump crab meat
1 cup shredded fontina cheese, divided
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
3 green onions, thinly sliced
zest of 1 small lemon
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Beat on medium speed until smooth and combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the artichoke hearts and crab meat using a rubber spatula. Add 1/2 cup of the fontina cheese, the pepper jack, green onions, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, and Old Bay. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.