Lissa And Mark'S Braised Beef Stew With Orange And Celery

Preparation

Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Meanwhile, season the beef with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the hot pot, then working in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, add the beef chunks so that they are in a single layer. Cook until the beef is brown, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the beef to a bowl as it is browned and flour.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pot. Add the onions, celery, rosemary, and thyme and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the garlic. Cook until fragrant and the onions and celery begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and tomatoes, stirring the pot. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Return the beef and accumulated juices from the bowl to the pot. Stir in the stock.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, then decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook, simmering very gently and stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Gently fold in the parsnips, carrots, orange peels, celery, and bay leaves. Cover and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender and the beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon, about 1hr. Then add potatoes and more wine cooking about 45 more minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef and vegetables to a bowl.

Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until it is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Gently fold the beef and vegetables into the reduced cooking liquid (they will be tender so avoid stirring them) and simmer for about 20 more minutes. Spoon the beef stew into 4 to 6 serving bowls. Serve with crusty bread.