There’s nothing more comforting than a hot meal when the snow is falling and the temperature drops to nineteen degrees. It’s on those days I like to cook a stew for my family’s dinner. Mostly I make beef stew with beef cubes I’ve purchased from the Waverly Market, but vegetable or chicken stew is just a tasty. 
It was my mom who taught me how to make a good stew. Mom had three dishes she excelled at: beef stew, chipped beef gravy and meatloaf. Then she gave up eating all meat and became a vegetarian. Tofu stew just isn’t the same!
Preparing a stew is fairly quick and easy and taste better the longer you let it simmer. I start mine by sauteing onions and garlic in olive oil. I then coat my beef cubes with a mixture of whole wheat flour, black pepper and sea salt. I add the cubes to the pan until they are lightly brown on each side. I then add organic bone broth [beef] and let it come to a boil. The potatoes and carrots cook better if they are cut into small bite-sized pieces. Put them in the pot when the stock comes to a rapid boil. Place the lid on the pot, turn down the heat to low and let simmer for at least thirty to forty minutes. I usually cook my stew for at least an hour. 
A baguette or loaf of whole grain bread goes well with stew to sop up the broth. You don’t even need butter!
Stay warm and enjoy the company of your family. Beginning on February 1st join me for a tour of Baltimore coffee shops as we explore 28 coffee shops in 28 days!
Scenes From A Baltimore Kitchen 