...

Another recipe that evolved through the years. I think the original I found over a decade ago was for Beef Leek Stew, but I can't remember the source. I changed it a lot over the years, tweaking and integrating things I learned (for early iterations I experimented with Marmite to boost umami, and I use a multi-cooker now, though originally I used a slow cooker). I have a special love for onions and alliums of all types, so I layer it in the dish. I use garlic oil from the Crispy Onion Slices recipes to brown the beef. I use onions (and some leeks if I have them) as an ingredient in the dish. I also set out different toppings for serving to add a few more more alliums in the form of the crispy garlic slices, thinly sliced scallions, and a drizzle of garlic oil to top the dish. Not a date night meal 😅 but super cozy and delicious!

Ingredients

• A 2lb beef roast, cut into 2-inch cubes (I use eye of round, but choose according to your tastes, budget, etc)
• 25 gr (2tbsp) kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (I use a mandoline to quickly slice all the veggies)
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ c red wine
• ½ c water
• 1 beef or chicken bulion cube, or 1 tsp of a cooking base, like Better than Bullion
• 1 tsp soy sauce or worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp Herbes de Provence
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Cooked white rice, to serve

Topping Ideas

• Crispy Garlic Slices
• A drizzle of Garlic Oil
• Nigella Seeds, toasted
• Unorthodox, but toasted pepitas add a nutty crunch I've enjoyed
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Scallions or chives, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. The day before: Cut roast into cubes, put in a bowl, and add salt. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
2. Set a multicooker on sautee high and brown meat in batches. Transfer each batch to a bowl while the next batch browns.
3. While the beef it browning, whisk together wine, water, bullion, Herbes de Provence, soy or worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste in a measuring cup or medium mason jar for the sauce.
4. Add all the meat back to the multicooker pot.
5. Add onion, carrot, celery, and bay leaves to the multicooker pot.
6. Pour sauce into the multicooker pot.
7. Cancel sautee function and put cover on multicooker. Set to Pressure Cook High for 35 minutes.
8. Once the pressure cooking is complete, let it naturaly release for ~15 minutes before venting.
9. Serve over rice with the toppings you enjoy.

Note

This recipe can be adapted very easily to a slow cooker. When I use mine, I brown the beef on a cast iron pan on the stove, and then add all the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it on high, and let it cook for about 8 hours. Oh, I also prefer to buy a roast and cut it because I noticed the stews came out better than buying the pack labelled as stew meat.