Instructions: This recipe is helped best prepared in a large nonstick frying or stew pan.

Remarks:
The heart of the sauce in this recipe is sauteed onion and portobello mushroom. This provides the flavor and color base. Other mushrooms cannot be substituted for the portobello. Only the portobello will provide the deep satisfying brown color and savory aroma.

The water method of sauteing the onion can be used. However, caramelizing the onion helps the flavor of this dish a great deal, and for that reason I usually use oil to saute the onion.

It is important to keep the pot covered as you cook in order to trap the vegetable juices.

Dont use too many different kinds of vegetables; some of the heartiness of this dish comes from its simplicity (no-meat and potatoes!)

I recommend using canned potatoes because fresh potatoes add potato starch that dilutes the flavor of the broth, and sometimes cooking time gets lengthy; other times they get easily overcooked and fall apart. Dont use canned onions, canned peas or canned carrots: they will also turn to mush.

Method:
Dice the onion, add a bit of salt, and saute slowly in the oil until it begins to turn a golden color. Meanwhile, clean, destring and dice the celery; mince the garlic. Add these to the onion and continue cooking until the onion is a caramel color and the celery is soft; about a half hour or more altogether. Add the portobello mushrooms and continue to cook in the covered pot. Meanwhile wash the button mushrooms; add those to the mixture, cover cook just until all the mushrooms have released their juices. Add the carrots. If you are using celery chunks instead of pearl onions, add them at the same time. Watch the pot and add water if needed.

If you are using pearl onions, peel them while the carrots cook. When the carrots are not quite fork tender, add the onions and cook for another ten to fifteen minutes, until almost tender.

When the carrots are cooked through and the pearl onions or celery, if you are using them, are barely tender, add the V-8 juice. Be conservative with the amount of V-8 you use, because you dont want the result to taste like tomato sauce.

Taste the broth and see what youve got. If you havent salted the vegetables as you prepare the dish you will need to add salt at this point; but add as little as possible; the other seasonings will bring the flavor up.

Black pepper, cumin, and balsamic vinegar are all necessary ingredients in my opinion. Add the black pepper to taste. Then add about 1/4 teaspoon of cumin; cumin adds to the "beefiness", but will easily overpower the other flavors, so be careful. Add 1 tsp of balsamic. Similarly to the cumin, the balsamic is also important to the flavor, but can easily be overdone. The cumin and the balsamic vinegar should not be used to the point where the flavors are identifiable in the broth.

Taste the results. Carefully adjust the proportions of these 4 ingredients.

Add herbs. I typically use about 1 tsp of dried basil and 1/2 tsp thyme.

Add other herbs and Tamari at this time if you wish. Once in a great while if the carrots or onions are not particularly sweet you may need to add about 1/2 tsp honey. Simmer shortly, about 5 minutes.

Prepare a slurry of 1/4 cup flour and about 1/2 cup cold water. Stir with a fork until smooth; strain if necessary. Turn the heat off under the dish. Wait until all bubbling has stopped; otherwise youre going to make dumplings. Pour in about 1/2 of the slurry and stir it in quickly. Turn the heat on and stir while it cooks for about 30 seconds. If it isnt thick enough, add a little more of the slurry. If it is too thick, add a little water.

Taste the gravy. Add salt if necessary. Adjust the seasonings for the final time.

Drain the potatoes and add to the mixture. Cover and heat through, about twenty minutes. If you are using peas, add them after the potatoes are hot and cook for another minute.

Serve; or prepare beforehand, and reheat just before dinner.

This recipe also freezes and reheats well. So you might as well make the whole recipe!

Serves 6-8.

NOTES : This is my own recipe, and it usually gets rave reviews.

When you think about it, if youve ever tasted chicken or beef broth before its been seasoned, though it has a nice aroma it tastes like almost nothing. In my opinion its the herbs and seasonings that are added that give most of the expected flavor.

This recipe provides that flavor, plus the color and texture expected of Beef Stew.

This is an easy recipe, easily adjusted to the amount and type of vegetables you have on hand. But since I prepare it intuitively, Ive discovered it takes as long to write it down as it does to prepare it. Please dont let the length or lack of precision deter you from trying it! Its delicious.

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