Old-Fashioned Beef Stew with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef chuck cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4  carrots roughly chopped cut into 1/2-inch rounds
• 4 stalks celery roughly chopped cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 0.5 cup flour all-purpose
• 8 servings parsley fresh chopped for topping
• 8 servings kosher salt and pepper freshly ground
• 2 quarts beef broth reduced-sodium
• 6 tablespoons olive oil as needed plus more
• 1  onion roughly chopped
• 1 cup red wine such as shiraz hearty
• 1.3 pounds russet potatoes peeled cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 sprigs thyme leaves 
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste 
• 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
• 1 pound if mixed stemmed sliced quartered such as cremini, chanterelle, oyster and/or shiitake

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• whisk
• pot
• wooden spoon
• aluminum foil
• slotted spoon
• dutch oven
• colander

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
2. Add to the pot in batches and cook, turning and adding more oil as needed, until browned all over, about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
4. Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pot and reduce the heat to medium.
5. Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery and onion and cook, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Move the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the empty side. Cook until it darkens around the edge, about 2 minutes; stir into the vegetables.
6. Add the wine and bring to a boil.
7. Return the beef and any juices to the pot; add the stock. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam off the top.
8. Add the thyme. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
9. Strain the beef and vegetables in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Tent the beef mixture with foil.
10. Let the cooking liquid stand for 5 minutes and then skim off the fat on the surface. Return the liquid to the pot.
11. Add the remaining carrots and celery and the potatoes and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
13. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their juices and brown, 10 minutes. (
14. Pour off any extra liquid, if necessary.) Season with salt and pepper.
15. Remove from the heat and set aside.
16. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
17. Whisk in the flour to make a roux, then let it bubble (do not brown), 2 minutes.
18. Whisk in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir this sauce into the pot with the vegetables; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 5 minutes.
19. Return the beef to the pot, discarding the roughly chopped carrot, celery, onion and thyme.
20. Add the mushrooms and simmer until heated through, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with parsley.
21. Photograph by David Malosh