Red Scare Stew with Blue Bar

Ingredients

• 800 g beef stew meat, cubed
• 2 large red onions, halved and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, in strips
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml beef stock
• 100 ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• 800 g blue potatoes (or purple sweet potato), peeled
• 50 ml milk
• 30 g butter
• salt
• olive oil

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a large stew pot. Brown the beef on all sides.
2. Add the red onions, garlic, and peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and fry briefly.
4. Deglaze with red wine vinegar. Add stock, paprika, chili flakes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
5. Simmer covered on low heat for 2.5 hours, until the beef falls apart and the sauce is thick.
6. Meanwhile, boil the blue potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash with milk, butter, and salt until smooth.
7. Remove bay leaves from the stew. Taste and adjust with extra vinegar or pepper for more tension.
8. Spoon the red stew in a wide diagonal band across the plate, as the Congress building.
9. Spoon the blue potato mash as a broad diagonal bar over the stew, so a 'division' is visible.

Serving notes

• Garnish with a few raw red onion rings for extra sharpness.
• Serve with pickles for even more sour tension.