Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Snowy day in Madison.

It was definitely a Beef Stew kind of day.
The Cheddar Cheese Scones were the perfect addition.

I had a recipe that I cut out from a magazine years ago (do people still do that?), but I could not put my hands on it. So I googled Old Fashioned Beef Stew and this recipe from the New York Times popped up. This was just delicious. Rave reviews from the other side of the table. 

Ingredients-

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into inch cubes

5 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 cup red wine

3 ½ cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds

2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 teaspoons salt

Method-

Combine the flour and pepper in a bowl, add the beef and toss to coat well. 

Heat 3 teaspoons of the oil in a large pot. 

Add the beef a few pieces at a time; do not overcrowd. 

Cook, turning the pieces until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add more oil as needed between batches.

Remove the beef from the pot and add the vinegar and wine. 

Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. 

Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.

Cover and cook, skimming the broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. 

Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 

Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add broth or water if the stew is dry. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

I found a recipe for Cheddar Cheese Scones on Spend with Pennies site. 

I cut the recipe in half. I used Mozzarella and a Mexican Blend shredded cheeses. Also added crushed black pepper. These were delicious.

Ingredients-

1 1/4cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese

1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup, 2 tbsp heavy cream 


Method-

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cheese and stir to combine.
Combine egg and heavy cream. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until it forms a dough.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 10 to 12 strokes until nearly smooth. Pat dough into an 8-inch circle and cut into 8 wedges.

Place wedges 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. 
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove scones from the baking sheet.
Let cool slightly.