Rutabaga Stew with Beef

Ingredients

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• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 500 g (1.1 lb) beef marbled, such as brisket or chuck, cut into 1-inch (3 cm) cubes
• 2 onions diced
• 1.3 l (5 1/2 cup) water hot
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 black peppercorns
• 600 g (1.3 lb) rutabaga generously peeled, in 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes
• 250 g (8.8 oz) carrots peeled and sliced
• 400 g (14 oz) potatoes starchy, peeled, in 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes
• 1 tsp marjoram dried
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to finish
• salt to taste; 1 tsp for cooking the beef
• black pepper to taste

Method

1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels and cut it into 1-inch (3 cm) cubes. Peel the rutabaga with a large, sturdy knife and cut it into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. Slice the carrots and cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes.
2. Heat the oil over high heat in a 5-quart (5-liter) pot. Brown the beef in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes each, so it browns instead of steaming. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes more.
3. Pour in the hot water and scrape the browned bits off the bottom. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Cover and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes, until the beef is almost tender.
4. Add the rutabaga and carrots to the beef, bring back to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the potatoes and marjoram and cook for another 20 minutes, until a fork slides through the rutabaga and potatoes with no resistance and the beef is tender.
5. Mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, which thickens the stew. Remove the bay leaf, season with salt, pepper and the vinegar and let the stew rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Tip: The beef provides the flavor, so lean meat gives a pale stew. Marbled means visible veins of fat within the meat, not a thick rim of fat.

Tip: The stew tastes even better the next day. Add a little water when reheating, because the potatoes keep thickening it.