cream stew
Cream stew is a staple in Japanese Yōshoku during winter. This cozy dish holds a special place in my heart as a childhood favorite. I love eating it during the cold winter. Personally, I find leftover cream stew makes a delightful breakfast. I usually eat it or serve it with slices of sourdough bread or baguette, but many people in Japan eat it with rice.
Table of contents
What is Cream Stew?
What is Yōshoku
Notes about ingredients
Vegetarian option
Cooking tips
What is cream stew?
Cream Stew is a Japanese Yōshoku dish (I’ll explain what Yoshoku is in the next chapter). Imagine the filling of a chicken pot pie but a little more soupy, like a creamier version of chowder.
In Japan, making cream stew using pre-made roux is quite popular. You might have come across pre-made roux blocks in Japanese or Asian grocery stores, usually found next to curry roux. Similar to curry roux, you cook vegetables, add water, and melt the roux once it comes to a boil. Unlike making curry from scratch, making cream stew without roux is much easier (I have a homemade curry roux recipe in my cookbook 'Make It Japanese' if you are interested).
What is Yōshoku?
Yōshoku is Western-influenced Japanese food, such as omurice (オムライス), curry rice (カレーライス), or hamburger steak (ハンバーグ). It often incorporates non-traditional Japanese ingredients or condiments, such as butter, milk, ketchup, and spices.
Omurice : photo by Jeni Afuso for Make It Japanese
Notes about ingredients
The most popular and staple ingredients for cream stew are potatoes, carrots, onions, and chicken. I like to add some greens, so I usually include broccoli when I make it (see the cooking tip below). Some other popular ingredients include mushrooms, spinach, kabocha, corn, and salmon. Personally, I avoid strong-flavored ingredients such as beef, celery, and fennel. You can also flavor it with miso, nutmeg, or cayenne pepper. While black pepper is an option, I remember my culinary school instructor once told me not to add black pepper when making white sauce (béchamel sauce), so I follow his instructions.
Vegetarian option
If you are vegetarian, replace chicken stock with vegetable stock and omit the chicken. In my opinion, you don’t need to add alternative protein unless necessary. I find vegetable cream stew to be as tasty as one with chicken. If you want to use an alternative milk, soy milk seems to be the most popular choice for cream stew.
Cooking tips
Broccoli: I recommend cooking broccoli separately to maintain its bright green color and prevent it from becoming too mushy. However, if you prefer a one-pot dish, add broccoli at the last minute.
Make sure to simmer on low heat once you add milk because it may curdle. It won’t affect the taste, so even if it does curdle, I guarantee the stew will still be delicious!
Tag me @riemclenny on Instagram if you make it!
cream stew
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ pound chicken breast (about 1), cut into bite size
½ onion, sliced
2 small Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into bite size
1 broccoli cut into florets
1 cup chicken stock (low sodium)
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
Preparation
In a small pot, bring water to a boil and add salt. Add broccoli florets and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Season the chicken with salt and set it aside.
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and cook until the outside is golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside; it's not necessary to cook the chicken completely at this stage.
Add onions, potatoes, and carrots to the pot and mix. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock. Bring it to a simmer and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook until the vegetables are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add 3 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter is completely melted, add 3 tablespoons of flour. Mix to coat the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the remaining chicken stock and mix well until the sauce thickens.
Add the chicken back to the pot. Pour in the milk and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the stew is hot. Do not boil to prevent the milk from curdling.
Add the blanched broccoli and season with salt. Mix well and serve while it's hot.