YIELDS:
PREP TIME:
COOK TIME:
2 hours 30 mins
TOTAL TIME:
3 hours 30 mins
ingredients
2 Lbs. Beef Stew Meat, large cubes
1/4 Cup Wondra Flour
2 Tbsp. Patricia and Paul’s Rosemary Olive Oil plus more if needed
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 Leek, white and lite green parts, chopped
2 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
14 Oz. Can petite chopped tomatoes, including juices
1/4 Cup Patricia and Paul’s Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp. Maple syrup
1 Tbsp. Dried Rosemary
1 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
2 Bay leaves
Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Tsp. Calabrian Chili Flakes
48-64 Oz. Beef Stock
1 Lb. Baby Carrots
12 Oz. Pearl Onions, frozen
1 Cup Corn kernels, frozen
1 Cup Peas, frozen
12 Baby Red Potatoes, cut in half
8 Oz. White button mushrooms, cut in half
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
Fresh Rosemary to garnish
Cooked Egg noodles to serve (optional)
Greek yogurt and pomegranate seeds to serve (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Heat 2 tablespoons of the rosemary olive oil in a large dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Dry the beef cubes with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the beef with the Wondra Flour until all the cubes are coated. Shake off any excess flour from the beef.
2) Brown the beef cubes in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Remove the beef to a bowl. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Otherwise, the beef will steam rather than brown. Add additional oil in between batches if needed.
3) Once all the beef is browned, add the chopped onions, leek, carrot and celery to the pot. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and the veggies start to soften. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the tomato paste and stir into the veggies for about a minute scrapping up any brown bits.
4) Add the can of tomatoes and stir scrapping up the remaining brown bits. Add the beef and juices back to the pot. Add 32 ounces of the stock, the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and then the carrots, onions, and potatoes. Add the rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, bay leaves and about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and 20 grinds of black pepper to the stock. Stir to mix everything together. Add more stock if needed to be sure everything is covered with liquid. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and let cook for about an hour.
5) After an hour, add the corn, peas and mushrooms. Let cook for an additional 45 minutes to one hour until the vegetables are easily pierced with the tip of a knife and the meat is tender and falling apart. Be sure to taste and add more seasoning if needed. THEN, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with a quarter cup of the hot stock from the beef stew until thoroughly combined into a slurry. Add the slurry to the stew and stir in. Let cook for another 5-10 minutes until the stew thickens.
6) Stew is one of those dishes that taste even better the next day or the third day so feel free to make this in advance and reheat over low heat on the stove. This stew has potatoes and is a perfectly well-rounded meal on its own. However, feel free to serve this over egg noodles as well.
7) To serve, dish the stew into bowls or cocottes and top with a large dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. I like to put a sprig of rosemary on the side of the dish so they know the flavors in the stew. Enjoy.
NOTES: Nothing is more comforting that a big bowl of beef stew. It has long been on of my favorites in the winter months. This version gets some serious flavor boosts from the use of artisanal rosemary flavored olive oil and pomegranate flavored balsamic vinegar.
The acid in the vinegar really wakes up the stew and the slightly sweet pomegranate flavor goes perfectly with the beef. I finish this stew with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds which is a real surprise! And you know what? It works. You could also use sour cream or creme fraiche both would be delicious in this dish.
Now, I put potatoes in this stew so you really don’t need to serve this over egg noodles but I have family members that are really big fans of noodles so I usually make a big bowl of buttered egg noodles and serve that along side. I’ve noticed, after day two, a lot of the potatoes are gone and the remaining veggies and beef gravy are fabulous spooned over the noodles so I usually get another meal or two out of the stew.
You really could use any of your favorite vegetables in this dish. Sweet potatoes, turnips and parsnips all would work. The difference in this stew is the olive oil and vinegar used. Game changers!
If you like this rosemary/pomegranate flavor combo, try my other dishes with this same mix: My Crispy Parmesan Potatoes with Pomegranate Yogurt Dip, my Steak Crostini and my Rosemary and Pomegranate Butter Board all take advanatage of these great products. You can purchase the olive oil and vinegar right on my shop.
