Photo by T. Mike Fletcher
Soup:
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ¼ quarter pounds beef stew meat, well-trimmed
Coarse ground pepper, as needed
3 to 4 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef broth (canned is fine)
2 cups water
½ cup red wine (I use Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound mushrooms
¼ cup brandy
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sour Cream
Dice the onions and place in a Dutch oven with the oil. Cook until just browning. Remove when they are done.
In the meantime, sprinkle the meat liberally with pepper. Dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. After the onions are removed, add another tablespoon or two of oil and brown the meat, in batches if necessary. Do not crowd or the meat will steam instead of browning. Remove the first batch to the bowl with the onions. Add more oil if necessary. Remove the second batch of meat to the bowl.
Add the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Scrape all of the browned, caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. When they are all scraped up, return the meat and onions to the pan, adding the tomato paste, water, red wine, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 45 minutes.
While the meat is cooking, stem and slice the mushrooms. Set aside.
After about 45 minutes, test the meat to see if it is getting tender. If so, add the mushrooms, brandy and red wine vinegar. Continue simmering until the meat is tender. At this point, add the buerre manie (recipe below) one tablespoon at a time, stirring in and cooking for several minutes. When it reaches the desired thickness, cook for several minutes to make sure there is no taste of flour.
Correct salt and pepper if necessary.
When ready to serve, pass sour cream, so each person can add a dollop to their soup. Stir it in and eat.
Buerre Manie:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
4 tablespoons flour
Mix together well. Store in refrigerator or freezer for longer storage.
By Helen Fletcher, The Ardent Cook
