Beef with potatoes and tomatoes in red wine sauce

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs (680g) beef stew meat (such as chuck or round, cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 4 medium potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine (or extra beef broth)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for thickening, optional)
• Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish, optional)

Instructions:

1. Brown the Beef:

• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the beef stew meat and season with salt and pepper.
• Brown the beef on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.

2. Sauté Aromatics:

• In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed.
• Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.

3. Prepare the Sauce:

• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in the red wine and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves.
• Return the browned beef to the pot and bring to a boil.

4. Simmer:

• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beef is tender.

5. Add Potatoes:

• Add the potato chunks to the pot.
• Continue to simmer, uncovered, for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce is too thin, you can mix 2 tbsp flour with a little water to make a slurry and stir it into the pot. Cook for a few more minutes until thickened.

6. Finish and Serve:

• Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove bay leaves.
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Serve the beef with potatoes and tomatoes in red wine sauce hot, with crusty bread or over rice for a comforting and hearty meal. Enjoy!