Ingredients:
- 6 ounces round steak, boneless and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- ½ cup onions, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots, cut length wise and sliced into ¼ inch thick pieces
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ cup green lentils
- 1 can tomatoes, with juice
- 4 ½ cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
- 1/3 cup barley
- 2 tsp packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp dried basil
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instruction:
In a medium size bowl, coat beef cubes with flour, shaking off any excess. Place a large pot over medium high heat and coat the bottom with 1 tbsp canola oil and add beef, browning on all sides for about 5 minutes. Remove meat from pot to a separate plate. In the same pot, coat the bottom with remaining oil, add onions and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Next add carrots, red pepper, and celery; mix together and sauté until vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Re-add browned beef to pot along with lentils, can of tomatoes, stock, barley, brown sugar, basil, bay leaves, and ground pepper. Stir well, making sure to break tomatoes up with your spoon and bring to a boil. Once your stew has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve and enjoy!
