Estofado (Best Old California Beef Stew recipe)

I used to find beef stews boring, but no longer.

Here's one of our favorite recipes, from The California Heritage Cookbook published in 1976 by the Pasadena Junior League. We found it among my late grandmother's staples after she died, and I was lucky enough to inherit her secrets. It's a book that recalls our golden history, when once upon a time Los Angeles was a region of ranchos, or beef ranches, and missions, which dominated the golden landscape long before Hollywood was ever dreamed of. 

At the end of those ranching days, the pueblo of Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula grew violent, as down-on-their-luck and bankrupt miners from up north and vagrants expelled from San Francisco came down to rustle cattle, gamble, steal, and kill. Even though the population was just 4,000, the little pueblo saw dozens of murders every month.

By the early 1860s, the dreams of the ranchos died with drought, Easterners moved in by train, and cattle were displaced by orange groves which now have given way to endless concrete, fumes, and traffic.

This recipe, though, brings back whiffs of Old California life, when cattle was king. It's also a breeze to make in the late afternoon, with minimal dishes. You leave it to bubble on the stove and when everyone comes in the house it'll smell divine.

Estofado

3 Tbsp. single-origin olive oil (California olive oil is always best!)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubed (you can also use any of the less-tough roast cuts suitable for stewing)

2 crushed garlic cloves

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1/2 c. tomato sauce

1 c. red wine

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 c. green chile salsa or 7 oz. fresh salsa

2 tsp. finely minced parsley (optional)

Heat a large skillet or Le Creuset pot, add half the oil until it shimmers and saute the onion for 3-5 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon to another plate, add the rest of the oil, and brown the beef. 

Return the onions to the skillet or pot, and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce down to a simmer and cover. Let it simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours as the flavors meld. It's done when the beef is tender.

I like to heat corn tortillas with butter and salt, and serve alongside fresh sour cream, avocado, and cheese.