sumptous moose stew

Perhaps moose stew, or stew in general, doesn't sound particularly sumptuous or something that can be remotely sexy. Maybe moose is more likely to bring up memories of some cartoon-like character or an animal that is apt to wreck vehicles. Surely, moose is a little rare; it's not like you can get it in the grocery store. Fortunately for us, a good friend gave us several cuts of moose, and this roast turned into stew has been the favorite dish so far. The roast was an odd candidate for a stew, as it was some of the leanest meat I have ever seen in my life, but I also wanted to use a few of the turnips received from the CSA bag a few weeks back. Certainly, it won't be possible to recreate the dish with moose all the time, but I will definitely try this again with beef as soon as the weather is cold. You are likely thinking I'm crazy for making stew in the middle of summer, but it did work out that I made it on a very cold and rainy day. Thanks Calgary... Find yourself a cold and rainy day, and enjoy this dish as much as I did! Moose Stew Serves 8-10 1, 2-3 pound roast of moose, or beef cut into 1-inch cubes 3 medium onions, thinly sliced extra virgin olive oil half bottle of full-bodied red wine salt small can of tomato paste 3-4 cups of plum tomatoes in their juices 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade 1 tbsp of finely chopped fresh chopped rosemary 1 tsp herbes de provence 1 tsp of ground ginger sprinkle of turmeric 1/4 tsp dried oregano 1.5 inch cubes of peeled sweet potatoes, about 6 cups 1.5 inch cubes of unpeeled turnips, about 2 cups 4-6 carrots, halved, and 2-3 inches in length 1. Pre-heat a deep-sided saute pan, on medium-high heat with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the meat in batches, adding a touch of salt here and there, and be sure to keep the heat until meat is browned and not to overcrowd the pan to prevent steaming the meat without caramelization. Remove the meat from the pan, and set aside. 2. Add another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the sliced onions. Allow the onions to caramelize, and then add the wine. Scrape any lovely brown bits on the bottom of the pan into the mix. 3. When the wine has evaporated, add the meat back into the mix, as well as the tomato paste, plum tomatoes, chicken stock, and the herbs. Allow to simmer on medium-high heat on the stove until the liquid has cooked down. Add a couple teaspoons of salt, I used coarse sea salt. 4. Pre-heat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips to the pot. Cover with a lid, and place in the oven for at least 3 hours. Do not stir once the vegetables are tender, or the sweet potatoes will disintegrate. 6. Best served in bowls with a bottle of wine, and a fresh green salad or gently steamed green beans. Enjoy!