Country French Beef Stew

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/2 cup dry navy beans or 1 (15 ounce) can beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup dry red wine
• 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed or 2 tablespoons snipped fresh thyme
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 -2 teaspoon snipped fresh parsley (optional)

Recipe

• 1 if using dry beans, rinse beans.
• 2 in a large saucepan combine drained beans and the 4 cups water.
• 3 bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• 4 simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
• 5 remove from heat.
• 6 cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• 7 (or, place beans in water in pan. cover and let soak in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.) drain and rinse beans.
• 8 place flour and pepper in a plastic bag.
• 9 add beef pieces, a few at a time, shaking to coat.
• 10 in a 4- or 6-quart dutch oven brown half of the beef in 1 tablespoon of the hot oil; remove beef.
• 11 add remaining oil, remaining beef, onion, and garlic to dutch oven.
• 12 cook until beef is brown and onion is tender.
• 13 drain fat, if necessary.
• 14 stir in wine, scraping until the brown bits are dissolved.
• 15 return all beef to dutch oven.
• 16 stir in beans, soup stock or broth, tomato, and dried thyme (if using).
• 17 bring to boiling; reduce heat.
• 18 simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours.
• 19 add carrots and parsnips.
• 20 return to boiling; reduce heat.
• 21 simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes more or until beef and vegetables are tender.
• 22 stir in fresh thyme (if using).
• 23 if desired, garnish with parsley.
• 24 *note:if using canned beans, decrease soup stock or broth to 1 cup.