There’s no denying that Minnesota has one of the harshest winters in the country. And while the chilly weather feels nice now and then, there’s nothing like the comfort that a warm, hearty meal brings. Below, we’ve put together a list of dishes that you can prepare to help combat the unforgiving Minnesota winter.
Hot meals to get you through Minnesota’s cold winter
Beef and Guinness Stew
When it comes to comfort food, it’s hard to go wrong with beef stew. However, this isn’t your typical beef stew. For an extra punch of flavor, you can try adding a little Guinness — yes, the beer! Not only does it elevate your beef stew with its signature malty and robust taste, but adding Guinness also has some health benefits. This beloved Irish drink has a high amount of antioxidants and B vitamins. But remember that Guinness is still alcohol, so try to go easy on it.
One tip we can give you when preparing this dish is to make sure that the beef is sufficiently browned before adding in the beer. Don’t worry about charring the beef, as it will only give your stew a deeper and bolder flavor. Since you’re using Guinness, you might as well pair the dish with some Irish soda bread. The bread will be great for absorbing the stew’s delicious sauce. If you need a little more help making this, NBC News released a simple recipe for this dish.
Congee
If you’re looking for something a little more wholesome, then some congee might hit the spot on a cold winter night. For those who aren’t familiar with this meal, congee is a classic Asian dish made up of broth, rice, and ginger.
Now, this dish might seem tricky to make if you aren’t used to cooking with rice — but it’s a lot easier than you think! Luckily, technology has made making congee simpler than ever with the many rice cookers available. In fact, some Aroma rice cookers even come with unique cooking functions that allow you to sauté, simmer, and keep rice warm for an extended period of time. With that, you can cook rice in a variety of ways — whether you want to make crispy rice or porridge. All you need to do is throw in all the ingredients in your rice cooker and wait a few minutes. If you’re feeling hungry, you can even add a little chicken in the congee to make it more filling. For a full breakdown on how to make this, check out Food’s recipe for easy rice congee.
Zucchini and Lentil Fritters
Here’s a dish that’s both healthy and satisfying. Zucchini and herb fritters are great when you want to eat something crunchy without overindulging. These are perfect for lunch and dinner due to how heavy they can be. Lentils are also packed with protein, giving vegetarians and people with dietary restrictions an ideal meatless option.
While you can certainly prepare all the ingredients by hand, we recommend making use of your KitchenAid’s food processor attachment to cut down on total prep time. The trick to getting crispy fritters is to make sure to pat the veggies dry before frying. The drier the veggies, the crispier the fritters become due to the lack of moisture. For a step-by-step guide on how to put this meal together, check out Bon Appétit’s recipe for zucchini-lentil fritters.
Reading this article but don’t really feel like cooking? Check out our picks of the four best places serving the best Broasted chicken in Minnesota.
Written for givemethemike.com by Sofia Bare
