Cook The Book: Basic Stew Recipe With Four Variations

• 2 stalks celery
• 2 medium onions
• 2 carrots
• Olive oil
• 1 heaped tablespoon all-purpose flour
• One 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• (3 hours)
• 3 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 1 pound diced beef stewing meat
• 2 cups brown ale, Guinness or stout
• (2 1/2 hours)
• 3 sprigs fresh sage
• 1 pound diced stewing pork, preferably free-range or organic
• 2 cups medium-dry hard cider
• (1 1/2 hours)
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cups white wine
• (2 1/2 hours)
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 pound diced stewing lamb
• 2 cups red wine

1. If using the oven to cook your stew, preheat to 350u0b0F.
2. Trim the ends off your celery and roughly chop the stalks. Peel and roughly chop the onions. Peel the carrots, slice lengthwise, and roughly chop.
3. Put a Dutch oven on a medium heat. Put all of the vegetables and your chosen herb into the pan with 2 lugs of olive oil and fry for 10 minutes. Add your meat and flour. Pour in the booze and canned tomatoes. Give it a good stir, then season with a teaspoon of sea salt (less if using table salt) and a few grinds of pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, put the lid on, and either simmer slowly on your cooktop or cook in the oven for the times shown above. Remove the lid for the final half hour of simmering or cooking and add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry.
5. When done, your meat should be tender and delicious. Remove any bay leaves or herb stalks before serving, and taste it to see if it needs a bit more salt and pepper.

stalks celery, onions, carrots, olive oil, allpurpose, tomatoes, salt, bay leaves, beef stewing meat, brown ale, sage, stewing pork, hard cider, thyme, chicken, white wine, rosemary, stewing lamb, red wine

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/01/basic-stew-recipe-with-four-variations-recipe.html (may not work)