INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
3/4 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small white onion, peeled and small diced
1 bulb fennel, medium diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups beef broth
1 cup cubed butternut squash (about 1" cubes)
1. Toss the meat with the flour, salt, and pepper. In a pot large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the meat well. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
2. Add the onion, fennel, garlic, and rosemary to the same pot. Sauté over medium heat 4 minutes. Add the wine, stirring and scraping to loosen any cooked-on bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. Return the meat to the pot. Add the broth and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 1 hour uncovered.
4. Add the butternut squash and cook uncovered 30 minutes more or until all of the ingredients are tender. Serve hot in bowls or over pasta or bread if desired.
FLOURING MEAT FOR BROWNING
There are three reasons that meat is floured before browning. First, the flour forms an attractive crust that helps the meat to brown effectively. Second, the flour adds a toasty flavor to the dish. And third, the flour acts as a thickening agent and gives the finished sauce a nice consistency.