Rain, rain, and some more rain. That's what our February days have been made of.
These last few weeks, we've seen so much rain. The waterways, streams, and even the river are rising and our ground is sopping wet. I'm a lover of rainy days, though I also do love the sunshine and am craving some right about now. Rainy days invite me to slow down just a bit and savour more deeply the things that I love, one of which is cooking. On those days when the sky is grey, the clouds are heavy and the sound of rain can be heard, I love spending an afternoon in the kitchen. Chopping, sauteing and stirring. I love dishes that cook low and slow, all afternoon into the evening. The house smells divine and makes our house a home. This stew is one of those recipes. Home comforts at their finest, my friends.
Rainy Day Stew
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 beef roast, trimmed and cubed
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 ounces tomato paste
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
4 cups vegetable broth
2 small cartons fresh mushrooms, quartered
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a large baggie. Toss the meat around until all covered in the flour mixture.
In a Dutch oven, drizzle a bit of olive oil, and heat over medium. Cook the meat in batches and brown on all sides. I was able to do mine in two batches, but yours may be more or less depending on how much meat you have.
Remove the meat from the Dutch oven once browned and place on a plate.
Drizzle a bit more olive oil in the pan, and add the onion and garlic; saute until the onions are translucent and tender. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Combine well.
Return the meat to the Dutch oven and add the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and vegetable broth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for at least 2 hours.
(You may need to add some water or more vegetable broth to the stew as it cooks. Make sure the meat and veggies are always covered with liquid. If the liquid is too thin after the cooking time, you can thicken it up by whisking together a slurry of cornstarch and water and adding it to the stew. Stir in to combine and simmer for a few minutes after.)
Enjoy!