Cabernet Beef Stew

I'm normally not a big stew person. I don't really consider myself a "meat and potatoes gal." My husband, on the other hand, is very much a meat and potatoes guy. Since the weather is cooling down, I decided to make my own version of stew. I don't like soggy carrots and celery so you won't find them in here. I also enjoy flavors that make the beef kind of "pop," like red wine, thyme and bay leaves. So that's where I came up with this. I hope you enjoy it on a chilly fall night!

Cabernet Beef Stew

1.5 lb London broil
1/4 cup EVOO
About 1/4 cup flour, plus 2 Tbls
Salt and pepper
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tbls butter
1.5 cups beef broth
1.5 cups cabernet (or other dry red wine)
About a dozen small potatoes (I used the multi-colored ones about golf ball sized. You're looking for about 4 servings)
About 15-18 pearl onions, peeled with ends cut off
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 small package button or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned
Sour dough bread

Preheat oven to 350. In a dutch oven on stovetop, heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Cut beef into bite size cubes, about 1 inch squares. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss in 1/4 cup flour until coated and shake off excess. Brown pieces on all sides in EVOO. Remove from oil and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add butter. When melted, add 2 Tbls flour and stir until incorporated. Add beef broth slowly, stirring to form a thin gravy. Once all of it is mixed it, add tomatoes and wine. Clean potatoes and add them with the onions to pot. Remove leaves from thyme sprigs and add them, along with bay leaves and garlic, to pot. Cover and place in oven for an hour. After an hour, add mushrooms and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to 250 and heat an additional 30 minutes.

Slice bread in 1 inch slices. Brush with olive oil on one side and heat under broiler set on low until crispy and edges are slightly brown, about 3 minutes. Serve the bread with the stew to dip in the yummy sauce it makes.

(I also served a nice arugula salad along side this dish and it complemented it very well! Arugula dressed in a little salt, champagne vinegar and EVOO, topped with shaves of parmiggiano reggiano. Perfect side salad!)