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4 lb Stewing beef, cut into 2″
-cubes 2 tb Olive oil
2 md Onions, peeled and sliced
4 Carrots, peeled and cut
-in thin slices 2 c Hot beef stock or bouillon
-(homemade, canned or -reconstituted) 2 c Red Zinfandel wine
1 Garlic clove, unpeeled
1 Whole tomato (canned or
-fresh), peeled and coarsely -chopped 1 t Salt
1 t Freshly ground black pepper
2 t Thyme
3 Juniper berries
2 Bay leaves, crumbled
4 Carrots, cut into 3″ chunks
5 Potatoes, peeled and cut
-into 3″ chunks
Soak wet clay pot in water for 15 minutes. Dry beef cubes
thoroughly and saute briefly in a large skillet over high heat.
Remove meat to pot. Cook onions and carrots in skillet for 3
minutes over medium high heat (add an additional tablespoon of oil
if necessary). Pour beef stock in skillet, add wine and bring
almost to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt, garlic, tomatoes
and pepper. Place remaining herbs in a square of cheesecloth and
tie into a bundle with string or thread. Bury bundle in meat. Pour
contents of skillet over beef and herbs. Cover and place in a cold
oven. Set oven temperature at 450′F. and cook for 90 minutes. While
stew is cooking, steam additional carrots and potatoes. Remove
casserole from oven and discard herb bundle. Strain juice over a
large bowl. Return beef cubes to casserole. Press baked vegetables
in sieve placed over stewing juice. Pour juice over beef cubes in
casserole. Add steamed carrots and potatoes to casserole. Cover and
return to oven for 15-20 minutes.
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