The Ultimate Beef Stew

Name: The Ultimate Beef Stew
Prep time: 7 h 30 min
Cook time: 7 h 30 min
Total time: 7 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 227 grams baby carrots; 2 bay leaves; 907 grams beef shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces; 591 milliliters beef stock; 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 6 servings Bouquet Garni; 6 slices bread; 3 Tbsps butter; 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices; 6 servings Chives, finely chopped, as garnish; 1 Clove 3; 1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy); 1 leave Fresh flat parsley, chopped, as garnish; 2 heads garlic, cut in half horizontally; 6 garlic cloves, smashed; 59 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle; 2 Tbsps olive oil; 6 servings Olive oil, for frying; 1 orange, peel cut in large strips; 473 milliliters blanched and peeled red pearl onions; 227 grams garden peas; 6 servings Serving suggestion: buttery mashed potatoes with chives and warm croutons with garlic puree; 6 servings Salt and pepper; 6 servings Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 pinch Pinch sugar; 1 sprig thyme; 8 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 4 sprigs; 454 grams white mushrooms, cut in half

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give The Ultimate Beef Stew Head to the store and pick up peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the olive oil you could follow this main course with the Sauteed Banana, Granolan and Yogurt Parfait as a dessert.

Instructions

To make the marinade, place the beef in a large glass or plastic container.

Ingredients you will need

Marinade

Beef

Add 8 sprigs of thyme, carrots, garlic, red onions, orange peel, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and the wine.

Ingredients you will need

Orange Zest

Peppercorns

Bay Leaves

Red Onion

Carrot

Clove

Garlic

Thyme

Wine

Mix well to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Remove beef from the marinade and blot dry on paper towels.

Ingredients you will need

Marinade

Beef

Equipment you will use

Paper Towels

Heat the oil and butter and the remaining 4 sprigs thyme in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on a high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, remove the thyme.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Thyme

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Add the beef and brown evenly on all sides. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Strain the marinade into the beef and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up the flavorful bits in the bottom of the pot.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Black Pepper

Marinade

Beef

Salt

Equipment you will use

Wooden Spoon

Pot

Add bouquet garni and beef stock. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the liquid starts to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Bouquet Garni

Beef Stock

After about 2 hours add the baby carrots, garden peas, and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Baby Carrots

Vegetable

Mushrooms

Red Wine

Sugar

Meat

Peas

Garnish with chopped parsley and chives. Squeeze some of the roasted garlic onto the Croutons, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with the stew.

Ingredients you will need

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Roasted Garlic

Croutons

Parsley

Chives

Stew

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Put garlic on a sheet of aluminum foil.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Salt

Add a sprig of thyme and fold the foil around the garlic. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until garlic is tender and golden brown.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Thyme

Equipment you will use

Aluminum Foil

Heat about 1/4-inch of the olive oil in a frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the bread in batches and fry until golden on both sides, about 1 minute per side.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Bread