Oven Braised Beef, Barley Stew

By marxpatricia

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 lb beef chuck trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 5 tablespooon flour
• 4 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large leeks (white & lite green parts only) cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cups pearl barley
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lb) peeled,seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup half and half

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in center od oven and heat to 350 degrees

Season beef with salt and pepper then toss in bowl of flour. Heat 1 tablspsoon of butter and oil in 5-6 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Cook half the beef until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon transfer the beef to plate. Repeat with remaining beef.

Melt 2 tablspsoon of butter in pot. Add leeks, carrots, celery and pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook sitrring occaisonally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook scraping any browned bits with wooden spoon until evaporaated 7-8 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons four and cook 1 minute.

Whisk in 5 cups of broth. Stir in barley, bay leaves, sage, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt and beef accumulated juices. Bring to boil. cover pot snugly with foil and tight fitting lid. Braise in oven for 1 hour. Stir in squash and remaining 1 cup broth. Cover with foil and lid contine braising until beef and squash are tender, about 30 more minutes.

Remove and discard bay leaves an then stir in parsley and half and half.