Beef and Mushroom Stew

  Posted on October 22, 2012  by Leslie Blythe  3 comments

Last night I made this stew.  It’s kind of unusual because the only vegetables in it are mushrooms.  I love using cremini mushrooms, which are baby portobello mushrooms.   They have a have a deeper, earthier flavor than whites.

You can serve this stew over a bed of noodles or mashed potatoes.  I chose mashed potatoes.

Beef and Mushroom Stew

Serves 8

2 lbs beef stew meat (sirloin cut Into cubes)
2 Tbs flour
4 Tbs butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 whole shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz, weight cremini or white button mushrooms, cut in half
½ cup red wine
½ can beef consommé
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta – cooked and drained
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbs flour

Sprinkle flour over meat. Toss to coat.

Melt butter with olive oil in heavy pot. Sear meat over high heat in batches; remove to a plate when brown.

Add shallots and garlic to pan; sauté for 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and consommé (and add an extra half can of water at this time as well.) Then add salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Bring to a boil, then add back into the mix the browned meat. Reduce heat to low. Add thyme sprigs to pot.

Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. After that time, mix 2 tablespoons flour with a little water and pour into the stew. Allow to cook and thicken for ten more minutes. Turn off heat and allow stew to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.