Name: Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Beef Stew
Total time: 7 h
Ingredients: 1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast , trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 onions, chopped fine; 1/3 cup tomato paste; 6 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar; 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 3 cups red wine; 1 1/2 pounds carrots , peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes , drained; 1 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 (2-inch) strips orange zest; 1/3 cup kalamata olives , chopped fine

Why This Recipe Works

We based this slow-cooker stew on the traditional French dish daube Provençal, which uses a whole bottle of red wine, letting it reduce slowly on the stovetop while the stew cooks. Since the slow cooker doesn’t allow for much evaporation, we reduce the wine to a thick, sauce-like consistency before it goes in. Flour helps thicken the stew, and tomato paste adds body and flavor. We discovered that we could skip the tedious task of browning the beef (a cubed chuck-eye roast) by increasing the meaty flavor in the stew with soy sauce and more tomato paste. Carrots, onion, and canned tomatoes are beef stew staples, while herbes de Provence, strips of orange zest, and kalamata olives—added only at the end to preserve the bright flavor—bring Provencal flair.

Before You Begin

Salting the beef first gives the salt time to penetrate. Remove the zest strips from the orange using a vegetable peeler, being careful to leave the bitter white pith behind.

Instructions

Season beef with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, tomato paste, garlic, sugar, herbes de Provence, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in wine and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is consistency of ketchup and spatula leaves trail when dragged across bottom of skillet, about 15 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Transfer beef to slow cooker and stir in carrots, tomatoes, broth, soy sauce, and orange zest. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 5 to 7 hours on high or 9 to 11 hours on low. Let beef sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Using spoon, skim any fat from surface of stew; discard orange zest. Stir in olives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.