Ingredients

Stew:
500-600g back beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup beef broth
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2-4 cups water
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
2 cinnamon sticks
extra-virgin olive oil for garnish (optional)

Orange Gremolata:
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
zest from 1 orange
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 cloves garlic, minced 

Directions

Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper.  In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat, then add the meat in batches and sear on all sides.  It is important that you do not crowd the pan.  The meat needs air around it to achieve a crisp brown crust.  With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the browned pieces to a bowl to catch their juice.  Repeat with the remaining cubes.
In the same pot, saute the chopped carrot, onion, celery, and garlic for about 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.  Add the tomato paste and stir for another 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan.  Which is just a cook's way to say:  Add the broth and vinegar, then stir with passion, scraping up all the wonderful brown bits at the bottom of the pan.  Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.
Put the meat and its drippings back into the pot.  Add 2 cups water, 1 tips salt, a healthy dose of pepper, the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and cinnamon sticks.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the pot only partially covered for about 90 minutes.  This is not a soupy stew, but if the stew starts to dry out, add more water, about 1/2 cup at a time.  Simmer until the meat is fall-apart tender and the liquid in the pan has been reduced to gravy-like status.
Before serving, make the gremolata.  In a small bowl, mix the parsley, orange zest, thyme, garlic, and rose water.
Remove the cinnamon sticks and herb stems from the stew pot.  Ladle the stew into deep bowls and top with a few pinches of orange gremolata and olive oil. 

It tastes great with cauliflower puree, roasted spaghetti squash or with classic rice.

Enjoy it!!

xoxo Michaela