Beef Stew

Yesterday was Mr PTP's birthday and when asked what he wanted for birthday dinner, he requested stew.

Below is a recipe adapted from Ina Gartens 'Parker's Beef Stew' recipe.



Ingredients 1kg good quality chuck beef, cut into 2cm cubes
1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 2cm cubes
450 grams carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 2cm chunks
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 cups chicken stock
1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


Directions
Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper.

Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade.

In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly.

Place the beef in a large crockpot and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you'll need more oil.)

Place all the beef in the crockpot.

Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the onions and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Place all the vegetables in the crockpot over the beef.


Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pan and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the crockpot and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove.


Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn on to low for 6 to 8 hours.


Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and peas.