Fall Root Vegetable Stew

Fall has finally arrived. The temperature was down in the thirties last night and it was a cold and rainy day. Just the right kind of weather for a good stew and this is a good stew. It has a different taste to it with all the sweet root vegetables. The first time I made this stew I tasted the broth at the beginning when the beef was just starting to cook, I thought I'd made a big mistake and it tasted, kinda harsh. But I continued on, figuring The Little Buddy would eat it, he'll eat almost anything. I'd just have peanut butter toast. After the vegetables were added and everything cooked, it was a whole different stew. All those wonderful sweet root vegetables had cooked together and added a subtle sweetness to cut the harshness of the red wine and all that basil and garlic. The two flavors really work well together balancing each other nicely. This is really a unique taste and a good change of pace from the tomato based stew.
This is great with whole grain bread or rolls.

Check out other great recipes at the Grocery Cart Challenge.

Enjoy,
Jaynie

Fall Root Vegetable Stew
1/2 Cup Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 lbs. Stew Meat, cut into 1" cubes
3 tbls. Canola Oil
1 Cup Red Wine
2 Cups Beef Broth
3 tbls. Tomato Paste
2 tbls. Worcestershire Sauce
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Dried Basil
2 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 lb. Sweet Potatoes, cut into 1" pieces,
1 1/2 lb. Turnips, cut into 1" pieces
1 lb. Carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 Cups Frozen Small Pearl Onions
2 cups water (add this as needed)

Combine flour, salt and pepper. Heat dutch oven to med-high heat. While dutch oven is heating cut beef into 1" cubes and dredge in flour mixture. Reserve any leftover flour mixture. When dutch oven is hot add oil. Shake off excess flour from beef and brown in dutch oven until browned on all sides, you may have to do this in a few batches. When beef is browned add wine, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, basil and bay leaves to the pot with the beef. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hr. This will depend on the type of beef you use. When the beef is almost tender add the carrots and onions, cook for about 15 minutes. You may have to add some of the water at this point. Next add the turnips and cook until carrots and turnips are almost tender, about 30 minutes, then toss the sweet potatoes with the remaining flour mixture and add . Cook until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Make sure to stir every 15 minutes or so because this will stick to the bottom.