CHUNKY BEEF STEW

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

• 4 to 5 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes

• 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch dice

• 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• One can (6-ounce) tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• One can (16-ounce) low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 bay leaves

• 6 large red potatoes (about 2 pounds)

• 3 to 4 large carrots (about 1 ½ pounds)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

•  ½ teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Adjust the oven racks to accommodate a Dutch oven or large covered pot. Heat the oven to 250 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Generously salt and pepper the beef. Brown the meat, in stages, so as not to crowd the pan. Each batch should take about 10 minutes.

Remove the browned beef to a plate and add the onions to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, flour and soy sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and scrape any browned meat bits off the bottom and sides of the pan.

Return the beef to the pot, add the bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and place in the oven for 6 hours.

Chop the potatoes and carrots into 1 ½-inch cubes. Pile the vegetables into the smallest covered baking dish that will accommodate them. Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, sprinkle the thyme and rosemary on top, and stir to coat. Cover and place in the oven.

After 6 hours, remove the meat and vegetables from the oven. Stir the peas into the stew. Divide the vegetables among 6 shallow bowls. Discard the bay leaves. Ladle the beef stew over the vegetables and serve hot. Serves 6.

Source: From The Ski House Cookbook.

Per serving: 938 calories (48 percent from fat), 50 g fat (17 g saturated), 187 mg cholesterol, 65 g protein, 56 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 699 mg sodium.