HEARTY BEEF STEW WITH GREEN PEAS AND CARROTS

Hearty Beef Stew with Green Peas and Carrots image

Provided by Pam Anderson

Yield Serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, or about 4 1/2 pounds beef shank, meat removed from bone and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
salt
ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium-large onions, chopped (2 cups)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup full-bodied red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Côtes du Rhône, Zinfandel, Shiraz or Barolo)
2 cups homemade chicken broth or low-sodium canned broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup (6 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Steps:

Preheat oven to 200°F. Place meat in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat in a large nonreactive soup kettle; add meat to pan in two batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil if necessary. Transfer meat to a platter.
Add onions to pot; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté for about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour and cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to pan. Add chicken broth, bay leaves and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat and return to a simmer. Cover and place in oven, and simmer until meat is just tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Stew can be cooled at this point, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
Before serving, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a steamer pot. Place carrots in steamer basket and lower into pot. Steam until just tender, about 6 minutes.
Add steamed carrots and uncooked peas to fully cooked stew; cover and let stand to blend flavors, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings and serve.