Andy's Beef Stew

Here's a simple beef stew recipe, courtesy of a local CSA member, Andy A. The red wine combined with the aromatic vegetables and herbs gives it a rich, fruity complexity. You don't have to use an expensive bottle, but make sure that it's good enough to drink on its own. Whatever flavors are in the wine will be concentrated during cooking.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. beef stew cubes
1 large onion, diced
5 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. potatoes, 1" dice
5 sprigs thyme
2 or 3 branches parsley
bay leaf
flour
1/2 bottle red wine (or substitute beef or chicken stock, or water)
32 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
large (family size) dutch oven

Preheat oven to 300F. Brown beef cubes in oil or butter in the oven (in batches if necessary), toss cubes in flour seasoned with salt & pepper, and set aside. Pour fat from dutch oven. Deglaze oven with a little red wine, being sure to scrape up and stir all the brown bits until they dissolve, and reserve this liquid.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the dutch oven and cook for a few minutes, until the onion softens. Add the beef cubes, reserved liquid, potatoes, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and red wine (or stock or water), leaving an inch or two of room in the dutch oven.

Bring to a gentle simmer, and then place in the oven. Cook for 2.5 - 3 hours. Check in occasionally to make sure the stew is still simmering slowly, and adjust the oven temperature if needed. Enjoy!