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White wine Beef Stew with buckwheat ‘couscous’

This tender white wine beef stew with buckwheat ‘couscous’ is a perfect comfort dish made with regional ingredients. Slow-cooked beef melts in the mouth, paired with a gently spiced sauce enriched with Luxembourgish white wine, sweet apple-quince juice, and plump raisins. It’s served with nutty buckwheat ‘couscous’ for a wholesome twist.

I developed this recipe for the Foire Agricole to showcase the incredible produce from local, organic farmers. At a BioGreenBeef farm, organic farming means no shortcuts – just respect, time, and care for the animals. With Ourdaller products and Fru Terraphon wine, this dish is a true celebration of Luxembourg’s food culture and a reminder that eating less meat, but of higher quality, can be both delicious and sustainable.

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Ingredients

Serves 6

800g stewing beef
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 carrots, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp honey
200ml white wine
100ml Fru apple quince juice
500ml beef or vegetable stock
50g raisins
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt, to taste

Chopped parsley, to serve

For the couscous:
170g buckwheat
25g butter
500ml vegetable or chicken stock
160ml water
A pinch of salt

Method

Cut the beef into cubes. Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sear the beef in batches until browned all over. Remove and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil and fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until soft, adding the garlic for the last 2 minutes.

Add the carrots and the spices and cook for another minute, then add the beef back to the pan with the flour and tomato paste and cook for another minute.

Add the bay leaf, thyme, honey and wine to deglaze, then bring to a simmer. Pour in the juice and the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 ½ hours.

After 2 ½ hours, add the raisins and cook for another 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the couscous. Rinse the buckwheat under a running tap. Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the buckwheat for a minute, then add the hot stock and salt. Cover with a lid and simmer gently over a low heat. Cook until the water is absorbed, 20- 30 minutes.

Once the beef is ready to serve, grate some lemon zest over it and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Put a spoonful of couscous onto each plate and add a generous ladle of beef stew. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.