Keep warm with hearty stew and bread

This week, we are preparing a very simple yet tasty beef and beer stew with freshly baked bread.

BEEF AND BEER STEW WITH BREAD

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 pounds beef ribeye, cut into cubes

1 cup chopped onion

1⁄2 cup chopped celery

1⁄2 cup chopped carrot

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

4 cups dark beer (I prefer Negra Modelo, but a different brand will work as well)

2 cups diced potatoes

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the bread:

4 cups bread flour

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt

2 cups warm water

Putting it together

In a very large pot over medium heat, add the oil and the beef and cook until golden on all sides. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook until golden. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook for about one minute. Add the beer, reduce the heat to low and cook for about one hour, or until beef is tender. Add the potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes more, or until potatoes are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add all of the bread ingredients and mix for about five minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm area for about 30 minutes, or until the dough grows to twice its size. Remove the dough from the bowl and cut in half. Stretch the dough to make two large baguettes and set aside for about 10 minutes to allow them to rise. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Serve the stew while hot with some of the freshly baked bread and enjoy.

Antonio Villagomez is head chef and owner of Cilantro's restaurant and catering in Yuba City, Calif. Contact him at 530-844-2111. His website is cilantros.us.