BEEF STEW

There are times when a good, hearty stew just hits the spot; when it's cold outside in the fall or winter or even in the spring when the weather is damp and gloomy. I like stews because they're easy to make and satisfying to the palate, because the ingredients are not usually expensive and because they're a one-dish meal that makes entertaining a group easy as pie (which is a lot harder to make!). Rather than laboring away in my solitary kitchen while my guests are hooting it up in the living room, I can pop the stew into the oven or just leave it on top of the stove while I join in the fun.

Stews depend on slow braising of the main ingredients. This allows time for inexpensive cuts of meat to become succulent and tender and permits the ingredients to meld into a pleasing and not altogether recognizable whole. Unless they simmer until dry, or boil over, stews are almost fool-proof; you don't have to watch them every minute. An occasional stir is all they need. And they can be refrigerated and reheated the next day when they are often better than they were the night before.

Combined with a simple salad, maybe with some apples for crispness, a big hunk of peasant bread for dipping in the sauce, a hearty red wine, if you like, and a light dessert and there you have it. A whole meal. Done. Easy. Wholesome. Stew.

BEEF STEW

serves 6-8, with leftovers

This recipe calls for small, pearl-sized onions. If you don't have the time for peeling them (or just don't want to bother), you can easily substitute small onions already cooked and bottled. Just be sure to pour out all the juices from the bottle before adding the onions to the stew. And wait until the last half hour or so of cooking so the onions, already cooked, won't fall apart in the stew.

2 T olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 lbs beef bottom round or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 8-oz can tomato sauce

2-3 C beef broth, preferably homemade (but canned is fine; use the unsalted kind)

2 t Worchester sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 oz carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks

6 ribs celery, cut diagonally into 1-inch chunks

6 small onions, 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, peeled and left whole (or substitue the bottled)

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 box (10-oz) frozen peas

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stew pot of Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the large onion, the garlic and bay leaf; saute until soft and translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside.

2. Add the beef to the pot in two batches and sear until browned on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. (All the pieces of beef should be on the surface of the pot so they can all brown evenly. If you add too much at once, the beef will simply steam and you'll lose the nice crust from the searing that has so much flavor). When seared, take the first batch out, reserve, and put the second batch in. When the second batch is seared, return the first batch to the pot along with any juices that may have accumulated. Return the sauteed onion mixture to the pot along with the tomato sauce and just enough broth to cover the meat. Season with Worchestershire, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the carrots, celery, small onions and potatoes to the pot. Add enough beef broth to cover the vegetables. Cover and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender (smash a carrot against the side of the pot to test the tenderness), 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If the stew seems dry at any point, add more beef broth or even a splash of red wine. Add the frozen peas 5 minutes before serving and stir to incorporate and heat through.

Adapted from Cold Weather Cooking

by Sarah Chase

who is a friend of a friend of friends of mine