Carbonada Criolla — Beef Chuck Stew with Butternut Squash & Corn

Ingredients

• 2 lb Beef Chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
• 1½ cups Corn
• 1 lb potatoes, cubed
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups beef stock
• 3 dried apricots, chopped
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 sweet potato, cubed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Brown the seasoned Beef Chuck in olive oil in batches until well crusted, 10 minutes. Beef that steams instead of sears will never give the stew its depth.
2. Cook the onions and bell pepper 8 minutes, then the garlic, cumin, and paprika for a minute.
3. Return the meat with the tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, apricots, and raisins. Simmer covered 40 minutes until the beef is starting to yield.
4. Add the potatoes, sweet potato, and Butternut Squash and cook 20 minutes more, uncovered, until everything is tender and the broth has thickened from the squash breaking down.
5. Stir in the Corn for the last 5 minutes. The dried fruit against the salty beef is the point of the dish — do not leave it out.
6. Season, pull the bay leaves, and serve in deep bowls, or ladle it into a hollowed roasted pumpkin if you want the full Argentine spring-festival effect.