Pickled Onions

Start these at least an hour before you begin the stew to give the onions time to steep in the vinegar. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1.5 cups of red wine vinegar to boil with 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of kosher salt.. Once boiling add the thinly sliced onion and stir the onion into the vinegar. Let the onion boil with the vinegar for about 1 minute, then remove from the heat and let the onions sit and pickle while we prepare the rest of the dish. 

Classic Beef Stew

Toss the cubes in a bowl with ¼ cup flour and ½ teaspoon of fresh black cracked pepper. 

Heat a few teaspoons of vegetable or grapeseed oil in a Dutch oven medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes to the hot oil and brown the cubes on each side, about 10 minutes total. Once evenly browned, transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside. 

To the Dutch oven, pour in the 1 cup of red wine and the 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Add the two bay leaves. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pan, then add the beef back to the pot. 

Then add the 3½ cups of unsalted beef broth. Bring the mixture up tot a boil then reduce and let simmer, covered for 1½ hours. Skim the foam off the top occasionally during the simmer time. 

After its simmer, add the chopped onion and carrot. Add a good pinch of kosher salt. Bring the mixture back up to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer, covered  for 10 minutes. 

Then add the chopped potatoes, bring the mixture back up to a boil, add the bundle of fresh herbs. Add a good pinch of kosher salt. Reduce the heat and let simmer, covered for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Fish out the herbs and bay leaves. Taste the stew and add more kosher salt if needed, to taste. Ladle servings into shallow bowls and top with pickled onion, fresh cracked black pepper, and minced parsley. Serve with rice, egg noodles or crusty country bread.