Pammy Cat's Famous Beef Stew

It's officially fall! It was the perfect fall afternoon, sunny and cool out, which I decided was the perfect day to make homemade beef stew! This is a recipe that my mother (Pammy Cat) has handed down to me from an original recipe of my grandmother's. Trust me you will love this recipe and you will want to wash it down with some great red wine, we decided last night to pair it with some different vintage Cab's.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 beef stew meat, cubed
3 oz. brandy
1 small bag baby carrots
3 baking potatoes (chopped into cubes) I used golden yellow potatoes, they are a little creamier
8-12 oz quartered mushrooms
1 box frozen peas
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. veal or beef demi-glace, Cat prefers the Williams-Sonoma version
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup beef consomme
1/2 cup red wine-Merlot works best
sour cream for topping

Directions:
Brown beef in butter. Pour brandy over beef and cook until brandy evaporates (about 5 minutes). Transfer beef from skillet into dutch oven. Add baby carrots in dutch oven with meat. Place chopped onions and garlic into skillet and brown with small amount of butter. Add tomato paste, beef consomme, flour, and red wine into skillet. Boil and pour into dutch oven. Cover and cook on 300 degrees for 3 hours. Add potatoes and mushrooms into dutch oven. Add flour to thicken if needed. Cover and cook for another 1 hour. Remove from oven and place thawed peas in center. Add garnishment of sour cream if desired and serve with your favorite crusty bread!

Hope you enjoy this wonderful fall time classic, courtesy of my Momma Cat!