Whenever I’m working with a new ingredient, I reach for my cookbook collection. This time, my butcher had something I hadn’t cooked before: beef heel. Lateral Cooking by Niki Segnit is one of my favorite references for exploring new territory. It’s structured around foundational recipes (like stew) and shows how to build variations from there. I followed Segnit’s suggestion for a Belgian-style “stoofvlees,” pairing beef and beer. The beef heel simmered slowly in two bottles of extra stout Guinness until it turned tender and deeply flavored, with a pleasant bitterness. I served it with farro, the firm texture holds up beautifully against such a rich, hearty stew. #cookbook #cozycooking #beef #fallrecipes