MaryLee's Healthy Food and Easy Cooking - Beef Stew

I am back again,

I am going to talk about what I call comfort food today. There is nothing more welcoming especially on a chilly or damp evening then a hearty beef stew.

This one I am using Okra for one of the vegetable. Okra has a delicious taste but can be slimy in texture and this is not a texture most of us want to have. To stop this happening you have to marinate the okra in vinegar for 30 minute, this should make them crunchier.

1 tbsp (tablespoon) olive oil
2 medium onions cut in eighths
1 kg stewing beef or steak cut in cubes
¼ cup tomato paste
1/3 cup red wine
1 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
8 – 10 baby potatoes quartered
2 cups beef stock
350 g fresh okra washed and gently peel off the course out end of the stalk, or use can okra drain and rinse if you can’t find fresh

In skillet/frying pan heat oil add onions cook until soft. Add meat and brown, add wine, tomato paste and coriander, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and beef stock, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir in parsley and okra and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.

Try okra to determine if you like it, if no use zucchini, snow peas or green beans instead.

For a healthier version substitute the beef with chicken, turkey or ostrich and chicken stock for the beef stock.