Beef Stew

I decided to experiment with food last night--one of my favorite things to do. I had some leftover beef sirloin tip roast that I'd previously pounded to 1/2 inch thick, sliced with the grain into 2" strips, then cut against the grain into 1/2 inch strips (these were leftover from the sirloin tip roast I bought for my Skillet Beef Stroganoff, posted previously). So what to make with this? Stew!

I heated a small saute pan with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil over medium hight heat until it started smoking, then browned the beef, a few minutes on each side (I'd previously seasoned it with some salt and pepper). Once browned, I set it aside in a bowl. I heated another 1-1/2 Tablespoons (or so) of oil till hot again, then added: about 4 oz mushrooms, sliced; one small onion, finely chopped, one stalk celery, sliced. I added a bit of salt and sauteed about 8 minutes until most of the water was released. Then I added about 2 Tablespoons flour and cooked about a minute. I slowly added 1-1/2 cups of low sodium beef broth and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (since I'd run out of beef broth!), stirring constantly.

Time for the secret ingredient. I added about 2 Tablespoons of brandy. Then I added one large carrot, sliced, and the meat and juices. I added one large russett potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (or so) chunks and one bay leaf. I simmered on low, low, low, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After the long and slow braise, the meat was tende and the carrots and potatoes cooked through. I removed the bay leaf and added just a teaspoon or so of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Then I tried a bit. Wonderful. Fantastic. Outstanding. I was impressed. The simplicity of the fresh ingredients worked wonders. This was a truly outstanding stew, if I do say so myself... and I do. I hope you try these simple ingredients and techniques the next time you want to make a stew. You will be handsomely rewarded, trust me!