Classic Beef Burgundy Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter or 4 tablespoons margarine
5 -6 garlic cloves
pepper
3 lbs stew meat, fat trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 cups red Burgundy wine
1 tablespoon beef base or 1 tablespoon bouillon
3 cups beef consomme or 3 cups beef broth
1/2 large onion, cubed
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 bay leaves
garlic salt, to taste
3 -4 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
6 red potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
5 -6 mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper. Add beef in batches and brown thoroughly.
Put beef into a soup pot with wine, beef base, consomme, onion, celery, parsley, basil, bay leaves and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, until meat is tender.
Add carrots and potatoes; simmer until tender. Add mushrooms and cook a few minutes longer until mushrooms are cooked through. Adjust seasonings, to taste.
To thicken, mix cornstarch with enough water to form a smooth, slightly thick mixture; stir into stew, remove from heat and serve.