Beef Stew

It finally cooled off here, so I've wanted to make some hearty dishes. Last night was tortilla soup and tonight I decided to try beef stew. I found a recipe that sounded good, but I modified it a bit based on some of the comments. Here is my version.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 pound beef stew meat
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups sweet vermouth
2 cups new potatoes
2 large carrots, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 ounces sliced brown mushrooms

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Directions:

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the beef stew meat, and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until evenly browned on the outside.
Pour the chicken broth and vermouth into the stock pot. Add the potatoes, carrots, and garlic. Season with tarragon, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook 2 1/2 hours to blend the flavors.
Remove cover and add the mushrooms. Continue cooking 20 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water then add to the stew. Boil for 15 minutes or until stew has reached desired thickness.

Serve over egg noodles.

This was really good, a very filling stew for a cool night. Next time, I'll decrease the sugar and honey by half and add a bit more salt. I may also use more meat and fewer potatoes.