Wild Mushroom and Beef Stew

Roasted red onions give this stew a rich, almost smoky flavor. Make an extra batch of the tasty onions to use as a pizza or sandwich topping; refrigerate onions for up to four days.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 5  cups  water
• 3  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  pounds  beef stew meat
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 2  (8-ounce) packages presliced button mushrooms
• 1  pound  cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 10 cups)
• 1/4  cup  tomato paste
• 4  cups  coarsely chopped red onion
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Bring water and broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add porcini; remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop porcini; set aside.

Combine flour, salt, garlic, and beef, tossing well to coat. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of beef mixture; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 1 teaspoon oil and remaining beef mixture. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel; coat with cooking spray. Add button and cremini mushrooms; cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes or until mushrooms release liquid. Stir in the reserved porcini liquid, chopped porcini, beef mixture, and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; toss well to coat. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes, stirring twice.

Add roasted onion, rosemary, and pepper to stew. Cover and simmer stew an additional 30 minutes or until beef is tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

324 (30% from fat)

Fat:

10.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

32.6g

Carbohydrate:

25.2g

Fiber:

6.1g

Cholesterol:

71mg

Iron:

7.4mg

Sodium:

509mg

Calcium:

51mg