Ingredients

serves 6

　　6 beef shins (10 to 12 ounces each)

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

　　All-purpose flour, for dredging

　　3 sprigs fresh parsley

　　3 sprigs fresh thyme

　　7 whole allspice

　　10 whole black peppercorns

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　4 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped and rinsed well

　　3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　4 garlic cloves, crushed

　　1 can (14.9 ounces) stout, such as Guinness

　　1 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought beef stock

　　1 strip (2 inches long) orange zest

　　1 1/2 pounds small boiling potatoes, peeled, if desired

　　1 pound Thumbelina carrots, scrubbed (or other carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)

　　Coarsely chopped fresh curly-leaf parsley, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in the flour; shake off excess.

　　

Step 2

Wrap the parsley, thyme, allspice, and peppercorns in cheesecloth, and tie with kitchen twine to form a bouquet garni.

　　

Step 3

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large ovenproof saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef, 3 to 4 minutes per side, adding more oil (up to 2 tablespoons) as needed. Transfer the beef to a bowl.

　　

Step 4

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the fat in the pot. Stir in the leeks, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the stout; cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

　　

Step 5

Return the beef to the pot. Add the stock, bouquet garni, zest, and enough water to cover. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the pot; transfer it to the oven. Braise the beef 2 hours.

　　

Step 6

Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover the pot; braise 1 hour more. Discard the bouquet garni. Garnish the stew with parsley.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.