Beef Stew

Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 2 lbs boneless beef stew meat or 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour, plus
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 1/4 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 6 parsley sprigs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces or 8 ounces baby carrots, halved
• 6 ounces small boiling onions (about 2-3)
• 1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded (optional)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed or 1 lb fresh peas, shelled
• 2 tablespoons parsley, minced

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450°f.
• 2 heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 5 quart casserole over medium high heat. add 1/3 of the beef cubes and brown on all sides (6-8 minutes). transfer meat to plate or bowl. repeat with remainder of beef until all is browned.
• 3 add chopped onion to pan, reducing heat to low and sauté for about 6-8 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent.
• 4 return beef to pan and sprinkle with flour, tossing until all is coated. transfer all to casserole to oven and bake for 5 minutes. remove from oven.
• 5 reduce oven temperature to 325°f.
• 6 pour any reserved juices (from beef on plate) over the beef, along with the wine and broth (if beef is not covered add more beef broth or water).
• 7 tie parley sprigs, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a cheesecloth.
• 8 add herbs (in cheese cloth bag) to beef with salt and pepper.
• 9 bring mixture to a boil on top of stove and then transfer mixture to casserole and then to oven.
• 10 bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 11 stir in carrots, adding more broth (or water) is sauce is too thick or mixture seems dry. continue baking for 30-45 minutes (20-30 if using baby carrots). discard cheesecloth bag.
• 12 while stew is baking in oven, in a medium saucepan boil water (enough to cover onions) and add onions and boil for 1 minute. drain onions and peel onions.
• 13 in a skillet over medium heat, melt one tablespoon butter. add onions to skillet and sauté for 4-5 minutes. remove onions from skillet and add to stew, along with the fennel (if using) in casserole in the oven. continue baking for 20 more minutes.
• 14 remove from oven and add peas to casserole, simmering an additional 5-10 minutes on top of the stove. stir in minced parsley.