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1.5 kg stewing beef, or veal chunks
vegetable oil
3 250-g pkg sliced button mushrooms, about 12 cups
6 garlic cloves, or 4 tsp bottled chopped garlic
3 large onions
4 bell peppers, a mix of colours
4 284-mL cans undiluted cream of mushroom soup, or cream of potato
1 cup white wine, or water
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp dried tarragon, or thyme leaves
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
6 green onions, sliced
Cut any large pieces of beef in half. Lightly coat a large wide saucepan with oil and set over medium-high heat. Add one-third of beef. Stir occasionally until lightly browned all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl and repeat with remaining beef, in 2 more batches, adding oil as needed.
Meanwhile, mince garlic and coarsely chop onions. Once all beef is removed from pan, add a little more oil to pan, then mushrooms. Stir often until mushrooms start to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, core and seed peppers. Chop into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. When mushrooms are cooked, add onions and garlic. Stir often, until onions soften, 5 minutes.
Stir in soup, wine, Dijon, tarragon, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Add peppers. Return all meat and juices to pan. Pan may be very full. Gently mix. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, 1-1/3 hours to 1-1/2 hours. Stir in green onions. Taste and add more tarragon, if needed.
Calories 244, Protein 22.9g, Carbohydrates 16.5g, Fat 11.4g, Fibre 2.4g, Sodium 675mg.
Tarragon and Dijon mustard lend French flair to this comforting ragout. The tender beef and peppers are fabulous spooned over mashed potatoes or transformed into a pot pie.
Seal in a plastic bag and freeze up to 2 months. Defrost, then spoon into a baking dish or pie plate. Stir in chopped fresh parsley or basil. Cover with a few sheets of lightly buttered phyllo pastry or rolled-out puff pastry or leftover mashed potatoes. Bake until heated through.
Cover. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat with chopped tomato and peas. Good over rice or pasta.
Spoon over garlic mashed potatoes or egg noodles.