I had no idea what to call this new concoction. Someone hinted at ‘Autumn Meditation‘. I liked that. If anything, making a stew is really zen and meditative. It’s a slow process; the slower it’s cooked the better. Not to mention all the chopping involved.

Now this is a fairly basic and straight-forward stew. In my world that means good-quality beef, an awful lot of fresh vegetables and eventually a delicious gravy that’s thick as a sauce.

A friend of mine suggested I try adding pumpkin and parsnip for a change. I was intrigued. It’s not something I would have come up with myself, mainly because the guys here don’t care for pumpkin, but it turned out to be a major hit. It seemed to give the stew a sweetness and mellowness that especially my son liked a lot.

All in all, this stew is rich, decadent and irresistible.

 
Ingredients:

2 pound good-quality stewing steak
1 large onion
1 large carrot
2 large potatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 medium parsnip
1 small pumpkin
3 cups beef broth
sprinkling dried thyme
15 brussels sprouts
salt and pepper
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 bay leaves
butter or oil

Directions:

Combine the flour with the paprika powder, mustard powder, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Either mince the onions or, like me, turn them into quart-rings. Grate the garlic.

Cut the beef in chunks and don’t make them too small. Sprinkle the seasoned flour mix all over.

Heat some butter or oil, whatever you prefer, and quickly brown the beef cubes. Transfer them to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.

Don’t overcrowd the pan, brown the beef cubes in small batches.

Sauté the onion for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and give it another minute.

Put the meat back in with the onions and pour in the beef broth.

Add the bay leaves. Optionally you can add one or two beef herb envelopes (Maggi rundvlees kruidenbuiltjes).

Pop the lid on, bring it up to a boil and simmer the beef for 2 to 2 and a half hours.

After almost 2 hours you clean up the sprouts and peel the carrot, parsnip, potatoes and pumpkin. Chop it all in equal bit-sized pieces.

After two and a half hours my beef nearly melted on my tongue. Heavenly.

In with the vegetables. Mix it all up.

Season with a pinch of salt (be moderate, you can add more later), dried thyme and pepper.

Bring it back to a boil and simmer the stew for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir now and then.

 
Discard the bay leaves and taste to check the seasoning. Adjust when needed.
 

Nothing like a hearty beef stew to warm you up on a cold day.