Beef And Portabella Stew

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 1 lb stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1/2 cup leeks, shallots ( part only) or 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups coarsely chopped portabella mushrooms (1-inch chunks)
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Recipe

• 1 in shallow bowl, combine flour, salt thyme, pepper, and rosemary. coat beef cubes lightly with flour mixture, reserving any remaining flour mixture to thicken stew.
• 2 in dutch oven or stock pot, heat margarine over medium heat. brown beef cubes on all sides in batches. add leeks, garlic and mushrooms to browned beef; cook until leeks are soft, about 5 minutes. gradually stir in broth, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. stir in tomato paste; mix well.
• 3 bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
• 4 to thicken, whisk 2-3 tablespoons cold water into reserved flour mixture until smooth. gradually whisk into bubbling stew. cook and stir until sauce thickens.
• 5 variance:
• 6 beef and portobello pot pie: spoon cooled stew into shallow 6 cup casserole. brush top edge of casserole with slightly beaten egg . roll out half a (397g) package, defrosted purchased puff pastry to a size that is 1-inch larger than casserole diameter. place pastry over stew, sealing pastry to edge of casserole. cut steam vents into pasty. bake in 400f oven for 30-35 minutes, or until filling bubbles, and pastry is puffed and golden. (if stew is made ahead and refrigerated, increase baking time by 10-15 minutes).