Southwestern Beef Stew

This week, my menu consisted of recipes all taken from Michael Smith's The Best of Chef at Home cookbook. This is what we had for dinner on Monday.

• 2 pounds stewing beef, cut into cubes
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 onions, peeled and sliced thinly
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 can whole tomatoes (28oz)
• 1 can pinto, red or black beans, drained and rinsed (398mL)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1. Brown the beef well. Begin by drying it with paper towels, dry beef sears better. Pre heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and add enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the pot. A thin film is not enough. Add a single layer of the beef cubes. Brown evenly, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the meat sizzling. Medium high heat usually works best. Be patient, this is the only time you can add the rich deep flavour of caramelization to the moist stew. Rest the browned beef on a plate. Continue with the rest of the beef, browning it in batches. Add more oil as needed.
2. Add the onions and garlic to the empty hot pan and stir well with a wooden spoon, scraping any brown bits from bottom of the pan. Continue until golden brown. Add the red peppers and jalapeno. Stir in the chili powder, canned tomatoes, beans and the browned beef. Stir well and bring to a simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and continue at a low simmer over low heat for 1 hour. When you are ready to serve stir in the frozen corn and cilantro, just prior to serving.