23 Jan Chef Andrew Cotton’s Hearty Stew
Chef Andrew Cotton’s Hearty Stew
Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs stewing beef
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
1 lb mushrooms (quartered)
4 carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 Spanish onion (diced Large)
4 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
1 small can tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lb baby potatoes (quartered)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, coat the beef in some of the flour, if you do not use all of the flour to coat the beef, set it aside and we will add it in later
3. In a large ovenproof pot, heat the vegetable oil. Once hot, brown the beef on all sides. This is best done in 2 batches. Once all the beef is browned, remove it from the pot and set aside
4. In the same pot on medium heat, sauté onion and carrots and mushrooms for 5 minutes. Add more oil if needed. Add garlic and cook for another minute
5. Add any flour that is still remaining from the second step. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add red wine and deglaze pot and allow wine to reduce for 2-3 minutes
7. Add all remaining ingredients into the pot, including the beef that was browned in step 3
8. Cover pot with lid (or tin foil) and place in oven for 1.5 – 2 hours. Remove cover halfway through and stir every 15-20 minutes. In this time the potatoes will cook, the beef will become tender, and the sauce will thicken!
Be sure to remove the bay leaves when done cooking. Enjoy with crusty bread on a cold winter night.