Recipes
Second course
Ragout and stew
Beef stew with root vegetables ~ delicious rich flavor ~ one pot

Beef stew with root vegetables ~ delicious rich flavor ~ one pot

Ragout and stew

This savory stew is adapted from Ree Drummond’s Beef Stew with Root Vegetables. Perfect for Sunday suppers with the family and friends. It can also be made the day before you’re going to serve it, giving you more time to relax. I modified to suite my personal taste by adding more vegetables and herbs. I also use wine instead of beer. It’s a classic beef stew that will leave you with a cozy feeling and a smile on your face. Some Notes: Make sure you cut the vegetables thin or small so they cook properly. They’re added toward the end of cooking, so it’s important that they’re not too large or else they’ll be underdone. To thicken the stew, I use potato starch mixed with water. It’s my go-to, hassle-free thickener for soups, gravies and stews. It’s gluten free and tasteless. You can find it online or at the supermarket. Bob’s Red Mill is the brand I find in my market. Once the stew is done cooking, mix one tablespoon of potato starch with one tablespoon of cold water. Viola, instant thick, glossy gravy with and no fussing with a roux. I use part of a rutabaga instead of regular white turnips because I love the subtle sweetness of rutabagas. But white turnips are what Ree calls for and they’re wonderful too. Dried thyme and fresh thyme lends additional layers of flavor. I use a couple of good splashes of dry vermouth in this recipe. Vermouth is a nice substitute for wine. It’s fortified with herbs and spices, making it a good choice for savory dishes. I learned this from Julia Child. It’s easy to keep on hand. It’s economical, as there’s no need to open a full bottle of wine for a single recipe. I store it in the fridge. I reach for it often to deglaze a pan or to use in stews and gravies. The stew takes about two and a half to three hours to cook on a low simmer. But there’s minimal prep work, so it’s one of those fix it and forget it recipes. Gently bubbling away, it’ll fill your home with the intoxicating aromas that only beef stew with wine can produce.