Hearty Beef and Mushroom Stew

By sunitagt

Calories: 321
Carbohydrates: 26.4g
Cholesterol: 47mg
Fat: 8.1g
Saturated Fat: 3.1g
Fiber: 7.5g
Protein: 25.2g

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon clarified butter
• 4 ounces bacon, chopped fine
• 1 pound beef stew meat
• 6 shallots, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 large leek, white parts only, sliced thinly
• 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 pound fingerling potatoes, kept whole if small, chopped if large
• 2 pounds mixed mushrooms (shiitake, button, cremini, chanterelle, porcini etc), cleaned and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 3 quarts homemade beef stock
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley, trimmed and chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 12
Adapted from webmd.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat a tablespoon clarified butter in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stock pot over a medium-high flame until it melts.

2. Render four ounces chopped bacon in the hot fat until it crisps, then remove from the pan, add one pound beef stew meat, browning on all sides, about three or four minutes. Remove the browned meat from the pot, adding chopped shallots and sliced leek. Cook the leek and shallots until they release their fragrance and begin to caramelize a bit around the edges.

3. To reduce the fat in this recipe, drain the majority of the bacon drippings off at this point, leaving enough to lightly coat the pan. This will leave enough fat to give the additional ingredients the flavor, but not the fat content.

4. Toss chopped carrots, celery, and mushrooms into the pot with two bay leaves and the leaves of one bunch fresh thyme. Cook for two to three minutes, before deglazing the pot with 2 cups dry red wine and 3 quarts homemade beef stock.

5. Add browned beef back into the pot along with one pound small fingerling potatoes. Note: To reduce additional calories, pat down the browned beef with paper toweling to remove excess bacon fat before adding it back into the mixture.

6. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the mushroom stew slowly for about an hour and a half to two hours until potatoes and meat are tender.

7. Remove the stew from the heat, stir in crisp bacon and chopped parsley. Season the mixture to taste with unrefined sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper as it suits you.