RECIPE: Beef Stew with Freekeh and Mushrooms

1 8-ounce package cracked freekeh (1 cup) Original Freekeh or Rosemary Sage Freekeh work great

2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed (we prefer chuck roast, which we hand trim and cut into large cubes.)

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

32 oz beef broth

16 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 cup onions, cut into wedges

2 cups baby-cut carrots, or diced carrots (add more if you like)

1 cup red wine

½ cup tomato paste or substitute canned diced tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 bay leaves

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp dried mustard

¼ tsp cumin

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 dash red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Turn the oven on to 325˚.

In a large, oven-proof pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium. Toss in beef and brown on all sides. The beef doesn't have to be cooked all the way through, just browned on the outside to seal in moisture. Once browned, remove beef and set aside. In the same pot on medium heat, add a little more oil, toss in onions, carrots, and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with the spoon, scraping up all the browned bits and 'fond" accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Add beef back into the pot. Add tomato paste, spices, uncooked freekeh, and broth, stirring. Cover with lid and cook in the oven for about an hour. Check-in after 1 hour and give a little stir. The liquid should be almost fully absorbed by the freekeh. Place the lid back on and continue cooking an additional 30 minutes. The beef should be fork tender and the grain cooked through. If the beef is still tough, keep cooking in 10-minute intervals, stirring lightly in between, until the beef is fork-tender. Serve warm in bowls.

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RECIPE: Beef Stew with Freekeh and Mushrooms