Beef Stew with Carrot Flowers

Ingredients

3 pounds boneless, well-marbled beef chuck, cut into 1½ pieces

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1½ tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups dry red wine

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 cups beef broth

1 teaspoon beef bouillon

2½ cups water

3 bay leafs

½ teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1½ teaspoons sugar

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into flowers (see note)

3 ribs celery, chopped

6 potatoes (baby Yukon’s), cut in half

½ lb. green beans, trimmed

2 tablespoons cornstarch, if needed

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a medium size bowl, pat beef dry and toss in olive oil. Toss in the flour, salt and pepper and combine to coat evenly. Shake off any excess flour. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, over medium-high heat, brown meat (in 3 batches) turning with tongs (do not crowd the pan), about 5-8 minutes per batch (let sear on one side before turning). Transfer meat to a large plate and set aside.

Add in onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar, and cook (stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape brown bits from bottom of pan) about 5 minutes. Add in tomato paste and cook a few minutes more. Add beef with any juices back into the pan. Add wine, Worcestershire, beef broth, beef bouillon, water, bay leafs, paprika, oregano, basil, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan and bring to a boil. Cover pot with lid, transfer to preheated oven and braise for 2 hours.

Remove pot from oven and add carrots, celery, potatoes and green beans. Cover and place back in oven for 50-60 minutes more, or until vegetables are cooked and meat is very tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (remove bay leaves). If the gravy needs thickening, remove 1 cup of the hot liquid. Using a separate small bowl, combine ¼ cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid at a time until combined and return mixture to pot. Cook over medium heat on stovetop until bubbly and thick. Enjoy!