Meat & Potatoes Stew

This is Hubby's favourite stew. It's even better the day after, as with most stews and chilis. It's fantastic if you have it with some crusty bread as well. Honestly I can just dip the bread into the stew with the carrots and have Hubby finish everything else. Lol.

Meat & Potatoes Stew
(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

• 2lb stewing meat or chuck roast cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1 large onion, julienned
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2-3 cups beef broth (just enough to cover the beef 3/4 of the way)
• 2 Tbsps smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsps sugar
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 Tbsps canola oil
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp cornstarch, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Water

Directions:

1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. When heated, add oil. Meanwhile, toss beef with 1/4 cup of cornstarch. 
2. When oil is heated, shake off any excess cornstarch and sear beef on all sides. Seat in 2 batches so as not to overcrowd. This is going to take a long time but it's well worth it. 
3. When beef is all seared, add onions, garlic, allspice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, rosemary, paprika, bay leaves and 1 cup of beef broth. Mix well and scrape off the brown bits from the bottom. Add beef back into the pot and cover with remaining beef broth (enough to just cover the beef 3/4 of the way. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to the lowest heat and simmer for 2 hours. 
4. Turn the heat back up to medium high. Addin potatoes and carrots. Add about a cup of water (just enough to ensure potatoes are covered). Bring to a boil, lower heat to lowest setting, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. 
5. Make a slurry out of the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold water. Mix into the sauce to thicken up. Heat thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Serve with crusty bread. If you want to be extra healthy, add some baby spinach to the bowls before ladling in the stew. The heat from the stew will cook the spinach for extra iron.