Nov 13, 2005 4 min read

By Jennifer Harr Herald-Standard

Don’t get too angry at me for this, but I love it when the cold weather comes.

Yes, the snow is really inconvenient, and the first snow of the season left a lot of Fayette County residents without power, but by and large, the inaugural powder also signals permission to start making rich, delicious comfort foods.

The recipe for the beef stew that accompanied a recent chilly day is one that couldn’t be simpler. When you check out the recipe, you’ll notice I omitted celery. I don’t much care for it in stews because I think it tastes stringy. But if you like it in your stews, toss it in with the carrots and potatoes.

The mushrooms, which I don’t usually use, I tossed in because they were on sale at the grocery store. They added another depth of flavor to the stew, and seemed to melt in your mouth as you ate them because they had been simmered for so long.

But the most important part of the stew really is the beef, or rather browning it completely. It adds flavor to the stew, and stops, as my mother says, “scum.” If the beef hasn’t started browning before it gets tossed into the pot, then a gross film often floats to the top as it starts to cook.

You’ll notice there aren’t a lot of potatoes in this stew – that’s because I served the stew over baked mashed potatoes, a simple accompaniment to any dinner. To make the potatoes, I just boiled a few red potatoes with the skins on, and mashed them with butter, milk and seasonings. I put them in a casserole and spread shredded Romano cheese over the top and baked them in the oven at 400 for about 25 minutes. The cheese browns, the potatoes get crispy and the end result is always delicious.

A few toasted baguette slices round out the stew as the perfect dippers.

All in all, this is a pretty hearty meal that is really satisfying, and adjustable. Omit or add the vegetables you like, but remember to proportionally adjust the liquid.

So instead of lamenting the next cold day, turn it into an excuse to indulge in some comfort-inducing cuisine.

HEARTY BEEF STEW

1 1/4 cup red wine

1 carton (about 2 cups) low sodium beef broth

1, 2-pound chuck roast, cut into chunks

12 ounces white button mushrooms, stems removed

4 red potatoes, cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 bag baby carrots

Flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil and butter to fry beef

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper the pieces of beef, and dredge each piece in flour. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil to a hot skillet, and brown the beef completely. If necessary, do the beef in batches and don’t overcrowd the skillet. Remove beef from the pan and add 1/4 cup of red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom.

While the wine is cooking down, add a few tablespoons of oil to a stew pot over medium heat and add carrots, potatoes and onion. Once the vegetables are coated with oil and start to cook, add 2 tablespoons of flour, and continue stirring until flour is combined with vegetables. Pour in glaze from the skillet, and add liquids, beef and mushrooms to the stew pot. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to simmer. Let it go for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as necessary.

If the broth isn’t thick enough for you, make a slurry with cold water and cornstarch. Stir it in, and raise the heat slightly so the broth bubbles. Adjust as necessary. Stir parsley into the stew before serving.

(Jennifer Harr is the Herald-Standard court reporter. She welcomes comments, recipes at jharr@heraldstandard.com or write to her at the Herald-Standard, 8-18 E. Church St., Uniontown, Pa. 15401.)