Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's Kitchen
Stew is one of my favorite meals on a blustery day. What I love most about this recipe is that there’s no need to brown the meat beforehand, which means less mess and easier clean up. A loaf of crusty bread is a must for sopping up the sauce.
Add the tomatoes and their juices to a deep bowl and squeeze between your hands to crush them; set aside.
Place the beef and carrots in a heavy-bottomed, deep skillet. Sprinkle the garlic and pieces of butter over the meat and carrots. Drizzle the olive oil on top. Add the bay leaf and turn the flame onto medium-high heat and cook, without stirring for 15 minutes.
Stir in the wine. Raise the heat to high and bring to a vigorous boil for 15 minutes. Stir in the cloves and tomatoes. Cover the skillet, reduce the flame to a simmer and cook for one hour.
Give the stew a stir, and season with the salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, cover the skillet again and continue to simmer for one more hour, until the meat is extremely tender, almost falling apart when pierced with a fork.
Remove the bay leaf and toss it. Ladle the stew into deep serving bowls to serve.