Beef Stew with Almonds and Olives

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fat-trimmed boned beef chuck 
• 0.3 cup blanched almonds and 
• 0.5 cup calamata olives pitted
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch 
• 0.7 cup cooking sherry dry
• 2 cups fat-skimmed beef broth 
• 2  bay leaves fresh
• 2 cloves garlic minced pressed
• 8 oz onion peeled chopped
• 2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan

Directions

1. Cut beef into 1-inch cubes.
2. Place meat, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and 1/3 cup water in a 5- to 6-quart pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat to medium, and boil 20 minutes. Uncover and boil over high heat, stirring often, until juices evaporate and a dark brown film forms in pan, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add broth, 1/3 cup sherry, and almonds; stir to release brown film from pan. Return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
4. Add olives. Cover and simmer until beef is tender when pierced, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
5. If more than 1 cup liquid is in pan, boil, uncovered, over high heat until reduced to 1 cup.
6. Mix 1/3 cup sherry with cornstarch.
7. Add to pan; stir until boiling.
8. Pour into a bowl; sprinkle with parsley.