Beef Stew

                     Ingredients:

500 grams of beef, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon of all purpose Flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, cut into bite size pieces
2 big potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup of red wine
1 big carrot, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
1 celery, cut into bite size pieces
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2,5 cups of beef broth
1 dried bay leaf, dried or fresh
2 teaspoons of oregano
2 teaspoons of dried rosemary, minced
1/2 cup of Frozen but thawed baby peas
Salt and pepper to season

                 Instructions:

Add the oil to a large pot and preheat it over high heat until the oil is so hot that it starts to smoke a little. Add the beef and season with salt and pepper, cook it for about 5 to 7 minutes or until seared well on all sides. Remove from the pan onto a plate and set aside. 

To the same pan with add the onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes or until the veggies develop some color. Add the flour and stir well, continue to stir wile cooking the flour for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan to lift off all those browned bits. 

Add the tomato paste and stir well, add the beef broth, the bay leaf and the thyme and rosemary and bring the mixture up to a boil. Add the browned meat back in and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 2 ½ hours checking on it periodically. 

After 1,5 hours, remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium high, taste for seasoning and adjust if you feel necessary, add the peas and cook for about 2 more minutes. 

We decided to serve it with plain buttered turkish style noodles and plain yogurt. 

                                         
                                                                                                      Bon appetit!