braised beef and veggies

What do you get when you slow braise stew meat with a bounty of vegetable deliciousness, and then ladle it over classic mashed potatoes?

The perfect sunday supper, if I do say so myself.

And I do.

Ingredients:

evoo

2 lbs cubed beef stew meat

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, rough chopped

1 bulb of fennel, chopped

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 14oz can fine roasted, diced tomatoes

1 cup white wine

8 cups beef broth

2 cans v8

2 stalks of fresh rosemary

6 stocks of fresh thyme

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 head of celery, chopped

2 zucchinis, quartered lengthwise and sliced

1 pint radishes, trimmed and quartered

1 head of savoy cabbage, shredded

Directions:

Coat the bottom of a heavy bottomed sauce pan with evoo. Heat until shimmering on medium heat.

Toss beef with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

Brown beef in batches, removing from pan and setting aside when browned.

Add onions and garlic to the brown bits, stirring constantly. Sauté until onions begin to soften. Add tomato paste and stir to coat onions and garlic. Add can of tomatoes and white wine. Stirring to combine.

Sauté for 5 minutes.

Return browned beef to pot, tucking into the vegetables and as spread out as possible.

Add beef broth, v8, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer on stove for 2 1/2 hours.

Remove herb stems.

Add carrots, celery, zucchini, radishes, and cabbage.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil.

Turn down to simmer. Simmer about 20 minutes, until veggies have softened.

While you could eat this as is… I like it ladled over classic mashed potatoes for the ultimate in comfort food.