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Winter Beef Stew with Spinach and Lemon Zest
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Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups fresh spinach leaves
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the beef and set it aside.
  • Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the same pot. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute to form a roux.
  • Slowly pour in the beef broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Return the beef to the pot and add the thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the beef is tender and the broth has thickened.
  • Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until it wilts. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest.

Notes

Stir the spinach in right at the end so it stays bright and does not turn mushy. If the broth thickens too much during simmering, add a splash of extra broth to loosen it. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop with a little water to restore the creamy texture.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Large pot, Wooden spoon, Measuring cups