I would like to share a simple beef stew recipe cooked with juicy vegetables. The beef cooks slowly, so it absorbs all the flavors of vegetables and spices and becomes very tender – literally, the pieces are falling apart. Such a wonderful dish is good to serve for lunch or dinner as the main course with bread or any side dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef stew meat
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• pinch of red chili pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 medium onion
• 3 medium carrots
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 can (16oz) Italian style stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 2 bay leaves

 

Cooking Directions:

1. Cut the beef into 2-inch pieces.
2. In a large Dutch oven heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over a high heat; add beef pieces, freshly ground black pepper, paprika, a pinch of red chili pepper and brown well.
3. Peel garlic cloves, onion, and carrots.
4. Slice garlic cloves thin; cut onion into 1-inch cubes; and also carrots and cut into 1-inch pieces.
5. Remove seeds from red bell pepper and also cut into 1-inch cubes.
6. Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan over a high heat. Add garlic and saute for a half of minute, then add onion and saute for about 2 minutes. Add carrots and bell pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Place the sauteed vegetables in the Duch oven with the beef.  Add stewed tomatoes from the can, 1/2 Tbsp of salt, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 cup boiling water. Cover with a lid.  Cook on a low heat for about 1 hour until meat is tender. Stir very carefully for a couple of times.

Serve hot. Enjoy!