Polenta Beef Stew

By learen

Ingredients

• 1/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t dried thyme, crushed
• 1 t dried basil, crushed
• 2 lbs boneless beef chuck steak cut into one inch pieces
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1 t snipped fresh rosemary
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 14 oz can beef broth
• 1 1/2 c dry red wine
• 8 oz boiling onions
• 5 med carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 recipe polenta below
• 1/2 c snipped fresh parsley
• 1/4 c tomato paste
• fresh rosemary sprigs(optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Place flour, garlic powder, thyme, basil, 1/2 t salt, and 1/2 t black pepper in a plastic bag. Add meat pieces, a few at a time, shaking to coat. In a Dutch oven brown meat, half at a time in hot oil; drain fat. Return all meat to Dutch oven; add chopped onion, rosemary, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in broth and wine. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Stir in boiling onions and carrots. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 30 min more or until meat and vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, prepare polenta.

Just before serving, stir the 1 t fresh rosemary, parsley, tomato paste into the stew. Serve stew with polenta. If desired, garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Polenta;
In a large saucepan bring 3 c milk just to a simmer over med heat. In a med bowl combine 1 c cornmeal, 1 c water, and 1 t salt. Stir cornmeal mixture slowly into hot milk. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10-15 min or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. If its too thick stir in some more milk. Stir in 2 T butter or margarine until melted.