Beef and Green Bean Stew

The weather this morning was absolutely delightful. After weeks of searing heat and unbearable humidity, I awoke to a deliciously cool morning. Fall is my favorite time of year, and it paid an early visit this morning. I’ve been in the mood for soup lately, and today was the perfect day to experiment with a new recipe. This soup is satisfying, yet not too filling. Fresh green beans are fantastic, but frozen green beans just as well. If you’d like a more hearty soup, include potatoes and more carrots (sliced), along with an additional cup of beef stock.

2 lbs Beef (suitable for stewing) or Boneless Short Ribs
2 T Olive Oil
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Cups Diced Onion
1 Cup Diced Carrots
1 Cup Diced Celery
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 t Crushed Red Pepper
1 t Thyme
1 t Sea Salt
1 Cup Dry White Wine
28oz Diced Tomato (reserve liquid), preferably organic
4 cups beef stock (preferably homemade)
1 pound fresh, or 10 oz frozen and thawed green beans
½ cup minced fresh parsley

Wash and dry the beef, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and brown the meat on all sides. When meat is browned, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan. Stir in onions and sauté until soft. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to sauté until the onions begin to brown. Stir in the garlic and red pepper and cook for one minute. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half. Return the meat and its juices to the pan, along with the tomatoes (and liquid reserve) and beef stock; stir well to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is very tender (about 1 ½ - 2 hours) depending on the cut of beef. After the meat has simmered, stir in the green and parsley. Continue to simmer for 45 minutes, or until green beans are tender. Add additional salt and pepper as needed.