Shelly's Recipe

SICILIAN BEEF STEW

Category: Stews

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 lbs beef chuck, cut into cubes
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 medium Yukon gold or yellow Finn potatoes, diced
2 cups chianti or medium-bodied red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fried capers and parsley sprig for garnish

Heat vegetable oil, on high, in a large stew pot. Season the beef with salt and pepper then dredge in flour and brown in two batches. Remove beef and drain on paper towel.

Add olive oil to same pot and heat on medium-high. Saute onions until slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add peppers, rosemary and garlic and continue to cook another 3 minutes. Add meat back to pot, along with tomato paste and potatoes. Stir to coat. Turn up the heat to high and add red wine. Reduce by 1/3, about 5 minutes.

Add beef stock and bring back to a boil for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is fork tender. Stir in the fresh parsley. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into large bowls and garnish with the fried capers and parsley sprigs. Serves 6 to 8