Peter Gzowski's Favourite Beef Stew

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

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This recipe makes 6 servings

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Back in 1992, Ottawa-based Trillium Cooking School owner Pam Collacott and Canadian Living food editor Elizabeth Baird assisted Peter Gzowski at the Ottawa International Wine & Food Show where, as master teacher, he prepared Peter's Favourite Stew. Previous to the cooking class, The Canadian Living Test Kitchen has taken his charming instructions (no measurements) and converted them into the tested recipe you see below. Later, at the behest of one of Peter's fans, we also tried the recipe with caribou and found it worked exactly the same as beef, and, what is so important, was received with acclaim by members of the test kitchen and our guests. Of course Peter poo pooed the idea of measuring and suggested times, but when you want to reproduce the taste that won his stew so many fans, you can't go wrong with a well tested recipe.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb stewing beef 1-1/2 1-1/2lb lbstewing beef
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 1/2cup cupall-purpose flour
1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 1/2tsp tsppepper
2 tbsp butter 2 2tbsp tbspbutter
2 tbsp olive oil 2 2tbsp tbspolive oil
3 onions , cut into eighths3 3oniononions, cut into eighths
3 3leekleeks, sliced thinly (white part only)
5 cloves of garlic , minced5 5clove garliccloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano 1 1tsp tspdried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil 1/2 1/2tsp tspdried basil
1 bay leaf 1 1bay leafbay leaves
1 1can can(10 oz/284 mL) beef broth, undiluted
1 cup water 1 1cup cupwater
1/2 cup sherry 1/2 1/2cup cupsherry
4 carrots , cut into large pieces4 4carrotcarrots, cut into large pieces
1 1can (19 oz/540 mL) can (19 oz/540 mL)tomatotomatoes, undrained
4 parsnips , cut into large pieces4 4parsnipparsnips, cut into large pieces
1 1can (19 oz/540 mL) can (19 oz/540 mL)whole peeled potatopotatoes
Salt Salt
Pepper Pepper

Preparation

Trim excess fat from meat; cut into 1-1/2 inch (4 cm) cubes. In large bowl, combine 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the flour with pepper; add meat and toss to coat.

In large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat butter and oil over medium high heat. Brown beef in batches; set aside on plate.

Add onions, leeks and garlic; cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add oregano, basil, bay leaf and remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) flour; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Pour in beef broth, water and sherry, stirring to scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan; bring to boil. Return meat to pan along with carrots and tomatoes; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Add parsnips and potatoes and cook, partially covered, for 45 to 60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.