With our first snowfall of the season, it’s time for stew. I created this recipe over a couple of years. It seems, finally, ready to release. Get your pens and shopping lists.
Ingredients
* 2 lbs. stew beef chopped in 1" to 1.5" cubes** Tone's Canadian Steak Seasoning (do not attempt this recipe without it)** 2 cloves garlic, chopped** 2 tbs olive oil** 16 oz. can beef bullion(or 2 cups water, 2 bullion cubes)** 28 oz. can whole tomatoes in tomato juice** 12-16 new red potatoes (whole with skin firmly in place)** 4 - 6 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces** 8-12 green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces (stems, too)** 4-6 fresh carrots, skinned, cut into 1/2 inch pieces** 6-10 stalks fresh cilantro leaves, chopped** 3 tbs flour (for thickening)
Preparation
Sprinkle the Tone’s Canadian Steak Seasoning mix over the meat, toss, and set aside. (Be careful not to use too much seasoning or the stew will be too salty.)
In large frying pan with lid, saute the garlic over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the meat and stir fry, almost on high, until meat is uniformly browned. Add beef broth (or water and cubes), cover, and simmer for 2.5-3 hours.
Transfer this amazing-smelling stew to a large stew pot with lid. Add canned tomatoes, celery, carrots, green onions, cilantro leaves, potatoes. Increase heat to medium-high to induce light boiling. Return heat to simmer, cover, and read a book for 1.5 hours.
Before serving, mix flour with ice cold water to form a loose paste. Gradually stir the paste into the stew, cover for 5 minutes, serve.
Serves 6-8.
Notes
You can use the cheap scraps many stores sell as stew meat, but you might want to invest in a slightly better grade of beef. I prefer fresh organic vegetables except for the tomatoes. The green onions and cilantro do something that regular onions cannot.
I like the beef to literally shred in the juices. If you want chunks of beef, cut the beef simmer time to 1.5-2 hours.
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