Beef Stew

Beef stew is a great dish to prepare in a kosher kitchen. Almost all ingredients in traditional beef stews are kosher, and the beef for stew is usually chuck, an easily available kosher cut of meat. In addition, the long cooking time and sturdy nature of the dish make beef stew adaptable to keeping it warm on the sabbath. This stew can be modified for the particular preferences in your family by varying the type and proportions of the various vegetables. I serve it with rice and wild rice casserole, a fresh green salad, and challah or french bread.

Ingredients

3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp. ground black pepper
3-4 T. canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely (2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti both work well)
1 cup chicken or beef stock
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups fresh pearl onions, peeled
1/2 pound small portabello or brown mushrooms, cleaned
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat oven to 300°F. Place beef in large bowl. Sprinkle pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 T. oil over medium-high heat in a large stew pot; add the beef in batches without crowding. Brown the meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding 1 T. of oil if needed. Remove the meat and set aside. Add onions; sauté until almost soft. Reduce heat to medium, and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in the flour; cook until lightly colored, 1-2 minutes. While stirring, add the wine, scrape any brown bits that have stuck to the pot. Slowly add the stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to a simmer. Add the meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in the oven for 3 hours or until fork tender. Sauté pearl onions in 1 T. oil until brown. Add mushrooms and carrots, and simmer until just barely tender. Let sit until the beef is tender. Remove beef from oven, add pearl onions, carrots, mushrooms, peas, and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

The timing of this dish depends on the quality of the beef.

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It's important to cook it slowly in the oven until fork tender. Don't serve it undercooked.