Eileen’s Beef Stew. Ocean Grove, NJ. Paul Goldfinger photo
By Eileen Goldfinger, Food Editor @Blogfinger
2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of fat, cut into 2″ cubes
10 cipollini onions, peeled
4 carrots, peeled (2 diced, 2 cut into 2″ rounds)
2 russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2″ pieces
2 yellow onions. diced
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
3 stalks celery, diced
1 cup fresh green peas (frozen can be substituted)
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 large mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 cup Guinness stout
1 cup red burgundy wine
1 cup beef stock
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons margarine
searing flour, as needed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
In a 5 quart Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of oil on medium. Remove moisture from meat with a paper towel and lightly sprinkle cubes with searing flour; place meat in oil and brown on all sides. Do this in small batches and set meat aside as they brown.
Add diced carrots, celery and yellow onions to the Dutch oven and cook until they soften and brown, approximately 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add wine, stout, beef broth, thyme, tomato paste, black pepper, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and stir.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add meat to pot and simmer covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
While the meat and sauce are simmering, heat margarine and 2 tablespoons of oil on medium in a large nonstick fry pan. Add the 2″ pieces of carrot, potatoes, cipollini onions, tomatoes, and green beans; and sauté until the vegetables turn a little brown, approximately 30 minutes.
Add the browned vegetables to the meat and sauce after the meat has cooked for 1 hour.
* For the best flavor prepare the stew to this point a day or two prior to serving.
Reheat the stew on medium-low until the sauce begins to simmer. Add the green peas and mushrooms. Stir and cook for 1 hour. Taste to adjust for flavoring.
Serves 4
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