Beef Stew with Fennel and Shallots / Whole Grain Buttermilk Biscuits

Beef Stew with Fennel and Shallots

The rich flavor of this stew gets a boost from the portobello mushrooms and fresh fennel. For a hearty supper, serve it with a whole grain buttermilk biscuit (recipe below). 

Wine optional!

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 TBS all-purpose flour
• 1 lb boneless beef stew meat, trimmed of visable fat and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 TBS olive or canola oil
• 1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced vertically (about 1 cup)
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups vegetable stock or broth
• 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 4 large red skinned or white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 18 small boiling onions (about 10oz total weights) halved crosswise
• 3 portobello mushrooms, brushed clean and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh slat leaf parsley

Place the flour on a plate. Dredge the beef cubes in the flour. 

In a large, heavy sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat. 

Add the beef and cook, turning as needed, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. 

Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. 

Add the fennel and shallots to the pan over medium heat and saute until softened and lightly golden. (7-8 minutes)

Add salt, pepper,  thyme sprigs and bay leafs. Saute for 1 minute. 

Return the beef to the pan and add the vegetable stock and the wine(optional). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the meat is tender, 40-50 minutes. 

Add the carrots, potatoes, onions and mushrooms. (The liquid will not cover the vegetables completely  but more liquid will accumulate as the mushrooms softened).

Simmer gently until the vegetables are tender (about 30 minutes longer). 

Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. 

Stir in parsley; salt and pepper to taste. 

Ladle into individual bowls and ENJOY!!!!

Per Serving: 318 calories / 21 g protein / 36 g carbohydrate / 11 g total fat / 47 mg cholesterol / 677 sodium / 6 g fiber

Whole Grain Butter Milk Biscuits

Serve these fluffy and light biscuits with a batch of the beef stew (above)

Makes 16 Biscuits

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 TBS wheat germ
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 TBS chilled butter (cut into small pieces)
• 1 cup low fat butter milk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have ready an un-greased nonstick baking sheet. 

In a large bowl, combine the flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to blend. Add the butter to the flour mixture. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dry  ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

Add the buttermilk and stir just until a moist dough forms. DO NOT OVER MIX. 

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and, with floured hands, knead gently for 6- 8 times until smooth and manageable. 

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits.

Place the biscuits about 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake until biscuits rise to twice their unbaked height. About 8-10 minutes. Serve hot.