The recipe, below, is very loosely adapted from one that caught my eye whilst perusing a newsletter from an organization in which I’m involved, God’s Love We Deliver.

Braising is one of my favorite methods of cooking beef. It seems counter-intuitive that the longer you leave something on the stove, the tougher and more “well done” it would get, right? Not with braising, my friends! This recipe calls for stew meat, which is inherently tougher than, say, filet mignon. However, after a 3-hour slow simmer in a delightful red wine and stock-infused bath, it yields a fork-tender finish that is outrageously delicious and oh-so-je ne sais quoi! And those once-dried cherries plump up in to sweet bursts of joy that marry beautifully with the savory ingredients. Plus, what’s better than leaving something to, quite literally, ‘do its thing’ on the stove while you go about your business? Nothing!

Be safe and well and do enjoy this delightful recipe that the whole family - or, in my case, just me - will love!

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*Must-have items on-hand: 

• Deep pot with lid  

• Salt

• Freshly-ground black pepper

Ingredients

(Serves 4 generous portions)

• 2 T all-purpose flour

• 1 t ground black pepper

• 2 t kosher salt

• 1 lb beef stew meat, cut in to 3-in cubes

• 1/4 c EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

• 1 large sweet white onion, peeled and chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

• 1 c red wine

• 1/3 c dried cherries

• 3 c beef stock

• 2 bay leaves

• Pinch of dry thyme or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

• Optional: 2 T corn starch

Method

In a tall bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper.  Add the raw beef and toss to coat evenly, ensuring that each piece gets coated (see photo, below).

1. Place pot over medium-high heat and add oil.  Allow to get hot!

2. Pat off any excess flour on beef and, working in batches, brown beef on all sides, apprx. 30 seconds/side.  Set beef aside.

3. Add onions to the pot and season with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper.  Saute for 3 minutes.  

4. Add garlic (to the onions) and continue to saute for another minute.

5. Add red wine and stir to combine (onions and garlic).  Allow the wine to reduce by half (this took apprx. 4 minutes).

6. Add beef stock, beef, cherries, bay leaves and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover.

7. Set timer for 3 hours, checking back a few times to stir.

8. Remove bay leaves (and thyme sprigs if you used fresh).

9. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

10. **Optional step: If you feel like the broth is too runny, follow the below steps to thicken:

    1. Remove the beef from the liquid and set aside momentarily.  

    2. In a small dish or mug, combine 1 T of corn starch with 1 T of water and stir vigorously to combine.

    3. While stirring the hot liquid in the pot, slowly pour the corn starch/water mixture in to the liquid and keep stirring for a few moments to ensure that it has been evenly distributed.

    4. Should you feel that the broth still isn’t thick enough, repeat above steps 2 and 3 again.

    5. Add the beef back to the liquid.

Bon appetit! My suggestion? Serve alongside a glass of red wine, fresh crusty bread, a simple salad, and either mashed potatoes, polenta, or white rice.  

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Until we eat again,

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle