Recipe - Beef Stew With Polenta

2 pound Beef stew meat
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoon Allpurpose; (plain) flour
4 cup Beef or vegetable stock
1 md Onion; minced
3 Potatoes; minced
2 Carrots; minced
4 Cloves garlic; chopped
2 cup Vegetable or chicken stock
2 Shallots; chopped
Three fourths cup Finely ground polenta;
(cornmeal/maize)
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper; to taste
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh thyme; or 1/2
tablespoon
; dried
1 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1 Sprig thyme; for garnish

Trim the excess fat from the stew meat. In a large stockpot over high
temperature, heat the olive oil until smoking hot. Add the beef and
brown well on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add the flour and
cook for about 2 minutes. Briskly stir in the 4 cups/1 L/32 fl oz
beef stock thoroughly. Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, and garlic
and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beef is
tender.

About 10 minutes before the beef has finished cooking, prepare the
polenta. In a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring the 2 cups/500
mL/16 fl ounce vegetable stock and shallots to a boil. Whisk in the
polenta slowly so that no lumps form. Season with salt and pepper to
taste. Cook the polenta about 3 minutes, or until it becomes very
thick. Stir it well to avoid scorching the bottom. Remove the pan
from the heat, cover, and set aside.

When the stew has finished cooking, add the thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper,
and salt to taste.

Divide the polenta among 4 bowls and ladle the stew on top. Serve
immediately, garnished with sprigs of fresh thyme.

Serves 4.

Converted by MC_Buster.

Per serving: 2099 Calories (kcal); 93g Total Fat; (40% calories from
fat); 203g Protein; 102g Carbohydrate; 499mg Cholesterol; 619mg
Sodium Food Exchanges: 4 One half Grain(Starch); 28 Lean Meat; 6
Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.