TheKitchn.com

This hearty winter braise is inspired by two of the most beloved dishes my safta (grandmother in Hebrew) used to make: kubbe -- miniature meat-filled semolina dumplings simmered in a vegetable or meat stew -- and long-cooked green beans, variously known as loubia or fasoulia.

Here, herb-flecked semolina dumplings capture the flavor and nubbly texture of my safta's original recipe without all the work. The stew flavors the dumplings, which in turn thickens the juices into a rich gravy.

Whenever my grandmother, Rachel, came to visit Los Angeles from Israel, she spent most days preparing my father's favorite dishes. Originally from Iraq, Safta Rachel made mountains of rice for savory stews, and her cooking filled our house with the most exotic aromas. Her strong fingers flew as she chopped cilantro and onions or quickly pitted a mountain of apricots from our tree for her incredible preserves. Safta was petite and wiry, loving but somewhat reserved. I think now what it must have meant to her to cook for her eldest son that she saw so infrequently.

The contents of this stew are really quite versatile. In late fall, use snap, romano, or Chinese long beans or okra, along with carrots and late-season sauce tomatoes. In winter, substitute blanched cauliflower (karnabit) for the beans, and use canned or sun-dried tomatoes.

Use a cut of meat that has some fat and connective tissue, such as chuck roast or short ribs, which becomes succulent with long cooking. This is especially important with leaner grass-fed beef. My Iraqi grandmother would have served this over rice, but you can add potatoes or let the dumplings be the only starch.

Braised Beef with Semolina Dumplings

Serves 8 to 10

For the braised beef:

1 bunch good-size carrots (6 to 8), about 1 1/4 pounds (570 grams)

...continued