Beef Stew with Corn and Fennel

Ingredients

• 8 ounce button mushrooms quartered
• 10 ounce whole-kernel corn frozen thawed
• 1 tablespoon basil dried
• 1.5 teaspoons thyme leaves dried
• 1 cup cooking wine dry red
• 2 cups fennel bulb vertically sliced ( 2 medium bulbs)
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 14.5 ounce low-salt beef broth canned
• 2 teaspoons olive oil extra-virgin
• 1.5 cups onion sliced
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 1.5 pounds top round steak boneless lean cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup water 
• 3 tablespoons water 

Equipment

• bowl
• whisk
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat until hot; add oil.
3. Add beef; cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high; add fennel, onion, and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add broth mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.
6. Combine flour and water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Stir flour mixture into beef mixture.
7. Add corn. Cover and simmer 8 minutes.
8. Garnish with fennel sprigs, if desired.