Italian Gravy

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
• 3 lbs beef stew meat
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• flour, for dredging meat
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup dry wine
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 cup beef stock
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups canned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 6 fresh parsley sprigs
• 2 bay leaves

Recipe

• 1 melt butter in a casserole over moderate heat. when the foam subsides, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
• 2 cook stirring occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly colored.
• 3 remove casserole from the heat.
• 4 season the meat with salt and pepper then roll it in flour and shake off the excess.
• 5 brown in the olive oil in a heavy skillet. transfer to the casserole.
• 6 preheat the oven to 350 degrees. discard all the fat from the skillet. pour in the wine and boil it briskly over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup. scrape in any browned bits clinging to the pan.
• 7 stir in the beef stock, basil, thyme, tomatoes, parsley and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then pour it over the meat.
• 8 bring to a boil on top of the stove.
• 9 cover and bake in the lower third of the oven, basting occasionally and regulating the oven heat to keep the casserole simmering gently. bake 1 hour or until the meat is tender.