This was the first recipe I ever developed, and oddly enough, it’s never made its way to this blog. Sure, it was on Crazybananas one thousand years ago, but I never included it here, which seemed a bit silly.

This beef stew cooks all day on the stove. Getting it started takes a bit, but then, after that, it’s just chopping vegetables and throwing them in every few hours. Aside from the comforting flavor, the real upside to this dish is it tastes even better a day or two later, which means it’s great for entertaining or a hearty lunch at your desk.

Beef Stew
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 ½ to 2 lbs. beef stew meat cut into pieces (you can typically find it already chopped)
¼ c. flour
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 c. red wine
1 c. beef broth
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (I use red skinned for this and typically cut them into eighths. Just make sure the carrots and potatoes are around the same size, so they cook evenly.)
2 tbsp. flour
¼ c. water
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. frozen corn

Directions:
Let the meat rest on your kitchen counter before you start this recipe (Just long enough to take the chill off. You don’t want to put cold meat into a hot pot.)

Coat beef cubes with a mixture of ¼ c. flour, salt and pepper.

In a big pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add beef and flour mixture, browning the meat. When the meat has browned, add the garlic. Saute for a minute or two until softened, but not browned.

Next, stir in the red wine, beef broth, tomato sauce, bay leaf and the thyme and rosemary sprigs (put the whole thing in, stem and all). If you don’t want to use wine, just double up on the beef broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ – 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Add carrots and potatoes. Cover and simmer an additional 30 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy.

In a small Tupperware container with a lid, combine ¼ c. water and 2 tbsp. of flour. With the lid on, shake the mixture. Then, stir it into the stew mixture. Next, add the frozen peas and corn. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Now, remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs. You can eat it now, or store it. If storing, make sure to let the mixture cool before putting in the fridge.