Recipes Smoky Beef and Leek Stew 5.0 (4,269) Add your rating & review In Rioja, cooks add leeks to their hearty beef stews for a hit of sweetness and acidity, plus pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika) and peppercorns for a layer of spice.Plus: More Beef Recipes and Tips By Joseph Jiménez de Jiménez Joseph Jiménez de Jiménez Joseph Jiménez de Jiménez is a four-time James Beard Award-nominated chef whose career began more than 40 years ago in Madrid. An expert in Spanish and Basque cuisines, he's worked for the American embassy in Spain, as a consulting chef in New York, and co-founded and formerly owned two popular Seattle tapas bars called The Harvest Vine and Txori. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 22, 2021 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © William Meppem Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1/2 lemon 2 medium artichokes 1 1/2 pounds trimmed beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces Salt and freshly ground pepper All-purpose flour, for dredging 1/4 cup pure olive oil 6 medium leeks, white and tender green parts, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 2 bay leaves 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sweet pimentón (see Note) 1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 20 peppercorns, coarsely crushed 1 cup dry red wine, preferably Rioja 1 quart beef stock or canned low-sodium broth Directions In a mini food processor, puree the red pepper; scrape into a small bowl. Squeeze most of the lemon half into a small bowl of cold water. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, snap off the tough outer leaves. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top half of the artichoke and peel the base and stem. Cut off the stem and drop it into the bowl. Using a melon baller or a spoon, scoop out the furry choke. Rub the artichoke bottom all over with the lemon half, then quarter the artichoke and drop it into the bowl. Repeat with the remaining artichoke. Season the beef with salt and pepper and lightly dredge the pieces in flour. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add half of the meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and brown the remaining meat in the same oil. Drain the artichokes and pat dry. Pour off the fat from the casserole and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the leeks and bay leaves and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and pimentón and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the parsley, peppercorns and wine and simmer over moderately high heat for 5 minutes. Add the seared meat, stock, red pepper puree and the artichokes and bring to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Make Ahead The beef stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Notes Pimentón is available at specialty markets in sweet and hot varieties. Serve With Quartered new potatoes fried in olive oil and garlic. Suggested Pairing The spicy flavors in this long-simmered stew call for an equally intense red from Rioja. Rate it Print