a better beef stew

Braised Beef with Root Vegetables

serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS:

4-5 lbs brisket, blade or any kind of stewing meat
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 head of garlic, minced

6 tbsp flour

3/4 of a bottle red wine

3-4 cups beef stock

2 tbsp tomato paste or 1 can chopped tomatoes

4 bay leaves

1/2 cup plus more for garnish, chopped flat leaf parsley
kosher salt and coarse ground pepper

1 rutabaga (swede), cut into 1 inch chunks

3 carrots, sliced on a 1/2 inch bias

3 tbsp butter

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 x 8oz packages or crimini mushrooms, sliced

METHOD:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or wide bottom pot. Remove any moisture from the meat with paper towel. Season well with coarse salt.

2. Brown meat in batches, about 5 minutes each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest. Once cool, cut meat into 2 inch pieces.

3. Add onion, celery, carrots to the pot and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Lower heat and add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add flour while continuously stirring and cook for another 3 minutes until the roux begins to turn light brown.

4. Deglaze slowly with wine, scraping up all the fond. Increase heat and add slowly add the stock, continuously stirring to ensure that nothing is sticking to the bottom. Bring to a boil and add tomato paste, bay leaves, parsley, and return meat and all its juices to the pot. Add some more stock or water to ensure all the meat is covered. Lower heat and simmer for about 1.5 hours or until meat is tender. Give the stew a stir every 20 minutes.

5. In a separate pot, steam rutabaga or cover with water and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

6. Meanwhile, melt butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

7. Once the meat is tender, add the 1/2 inch bias cut carrots and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Thicken the sauce with a corn starch slurry if desired. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve with the mushrooms and steamed rutabaga on the side. You can also serve mashed potatoes, rice, plain pasta or steamed kale as sides as well.