Beef Ragout with Black Olives
Updated February 23, 2016 
Cookbook
Olives, Anchovies, and Capers: The Secret Ingredient of the Mediterranean Table
Published by Chronicle
Serves6
Cooking Methodbraising, stewing
CostModerate
Total Timeunder 2 hours
One Pot MealYes
OccasionCasual Dinner Party, Family Get-together
Recipe Coursemain course
Dietary Considerationegg-free, gluten-free, kosher, lactose-free, low carb, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free
Mealdinner
Taste and Texturegarlicky, herby, meaty, savory
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds boneless beef chuck
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 large, ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped, or 1 can (16 ounces) plum tomatoes and their juice, coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
- 2 fresh bay leaves, or 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 green sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
- 1/3 cup salt-cured black olives, pitted or unpitted
Instructions
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1 Cut the meat into generous 2-inch pieces, as they will shrink during cooking. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the meat, in batches, and brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside.
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2 Add the onion and garlic to the oil remaining in the pan, reducing the heat to medium, and sauté just until barely translucent, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stir to scrape up any bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Return the meat and any collected juices to the pan and add the thyme, bay, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the meat is tender enough to be cut with a fork, 1½ to 2 hours.
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3 Add the green peppers and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Then add the olives and cook until the peppers are tender and the olives have released their flavor, about 5 minutes longer.
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4 Spoon onto plates and serve at once.
