Mountain Man Stew

As the days grow shorter and colder, the desire to cook and eat comfort foods grows exponentially. A perfect meal for this time of year is a recipe my wife discovered online several years ago, that we have since made a few changes to, Mountain Man Stew. It's good and hearty, and it's a great way to use some of the seasonal vegetables found at your local farmer's market.

Ingredients

1.5 sticks of butter
1 large green pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 head garlic, chopped
454 g. baby carrots, chopped
454 g. mushrooms, sliced (I suggest the crimini or portobello mushrooms for their earthy flavour)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
454 g. stewing beef
1.35 kg. white potatoes, thickly sliced
900 mL beef broth
5 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
120 mL beef bouillon concentrate
120 mL red wine
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, cook the bell pepper, onion, garlic, carrots, and mushrooms in the butter, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the basil, oregano, Old Bay, salt, pepper and stewing beef. Cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are softened, and the meat is browned. Stir frequently.
2. Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan, and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and stir the potatoes into the vegetable/beef mixture.
3. Pour the beef broth, the beef broth concentrate, and the red wine into a saucepan, and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the liquid. Bring to a boil.
4. Carefully combine the liquid component with the vegetable/beef mixture until both are well combined. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve hot with a warm baguette and butter.