Deluxe French Beef Stew

Definitely different ingredients of bacon, black olives, small white onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, orange peel, red wine and green peas give this stew a distinct savory flavor.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 564 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen green peas, thawed and drained
• 3 slices bacon
• ½ cup pitted black olives
• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• strip of orange peel
• 1 ½ cups pickled pearl onions, drained
• ¾ pound fresh button mushrooms, halved

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place bacon strips in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp. Set bacon aside, and brown the beef cubes in bacon fat. Gradually stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits as you stir. Dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water, and pour into the pan. Add garlic, thyme, minced onion, salt and orange peel. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour, until meat is tender.

Step 2

Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, and pour into the soup. When soup has thickened, add the peas, onions, olives and mushrooms. Cook until heated through, and serve.