Portobello Beef Stew with Cranberry Pilaf

I’m back today, sharing the final recipe for the year with Knorr beef concentrate stock.  I found this recipe in one of my mom’s Taste of  Home magazine and it sounded so delicious and comforting for winter months.  I loved the sound of all the ingredients together. The older folks don’t always go for exotic ingredients like portabello mushrooms, cranberries, and wine all in one recipe. You know,that might not be good.  🙂

So, I whipped it up for my sis’s family and we chowed down together right before Christmas.  It was a hit all around!

I love mushrooms, in any form and Portobellos are wonderful additions.

Chopped onion and celery also add some flavor.

Knorr beef concentrate stock is ready to go too, after adding it to 3 1/2 cups water.

Start by browning the stew beef after flouring it in a bag.  Remove the meat and then add the mushrooms.

Saute mushrooms til they are tender and cooked down.  Notice the bits of brown on the bottom of the pan which will be scraped and mixed in with the dish.  You know that’s the YUM part, right?!

Add the meat back in, along with the wine and beef stock.

In another saucepan, saute onions and celery.

Brown the rice and add the cranberries.   Add stock in and let the rice pilaf simmer down until done.

Add the herbs in with the meat and mushrooms.  This needs to simmer on low for a couple of hours.  I didn’t let it cook quite as long as the recipe said.  I only let mine simmer for about an hour and 1/2 or so and the meat was just fine, very tender.

Serve it up over the rice pilaf and it was wonderfully delicious!  I think you would really love this if you like all those ingredients.  It was very flavorful and satisfying and I would totally do this recipe again.

 

Portabello Beef Stew with Cranberry Pilaf

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

1 lb. beef stew meat

1 TBL canola oil

1 lb. sliced baby portobella mushrooms

1 cup white wine

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp. dried thyme (we had fresh, so used it, as well as fresh rosemary)

1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

2 TBL cornstarch

2 TBL water

Pilaf:

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1 TBL butter

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 cups beef broth

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, garlic, salt and pepper.  Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil in batches.  Remove and set aside. Add mushrooms to pan; saute until tender.  Return beef to pan.  Add the wine, broth, thyme and rosemary, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan.  Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until beef is tender.  Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into stew.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in butter until tender.  Add rice and cranberries; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until rice is lightly browned.  Add the broth. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat;  cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender.  Fluff with a fork.  Serve with stew.

Hope you will give this one a try if you’re looking for something new to try, satisfying and comfort food for the Winter months ahead!   We served it up with a simple green tossed salad.

 

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