Confused Beef Stew

In hindsight I probably should have picked up my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and used her recipe for Beouf Bourguignon, but I didn't...so today you get what I did to make that bowl above, but next time I'm going with Julia!

Inspired by an Irish Stew being made on the Food Network, I went to the store to pick up stew meat and barley (the same barley I used in the lentil soup - in the bins at Whole Foods). Because I'm all about using what I already have, I decide to make it a confused stew...I start by marinating the meat overnight in red wine just because I had wine in the fridge waiting to be cooked with...If I were to do it again with barley, I think I'd probably use a Guinness or two. Same method would apply - season meat and soak in alcohol.

The next day heat a large pot (Dutch Oven - enameled cast iron is preferred), add in oil to coat the bottom of the pot, drain off the marinade into a bowl (you will need it later as part of the stewing liquid), dry meat and coat the with flour and brown in the pot. Remove meat. Add in onion (1 diced), garlic (1 clove chopped fine) and carrots (2 chopped) cook for 5 minutes. Add the meat back into the pot along with broth (I only had chicken broth - beef would have been better), the reserved wine, a pinch of herbes de provence and a bay leaf...bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it go for an hour and a half. Add in a handful of barley and mushrooms (1 pint halved). Cook for another 1/2 hour or as needed to get the meat very tender.

I boiled whole baby potatoes in salted water. Drained off the water and cut them in 1/2. Added a little butter and seasoning.

Served the stew right on top with a bottle of 2007 EII Cabernet Sauvignon.