Categories: Stews, Main dish, Clay pot 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      4 lb Stewing beef, cut into 2" 
           -cubes 
      2 tb Olive oil 
      2 md Onions, peeled and sliced 
      4    Carrots, peeled and cut 
           -in thin slices 
      2 c  Hot beef stock or bouillon 
           -(homemade, canned or 
           -reconstituted) 
      2 c  Red Zinfandel wine 
      1    Garlic clove, unpeeled 
      1    Whole tomato (canned or 
           -fresh), peeled and coarsely 
           -chopped 
      1 t  Salt 
      1 t  Freshly ground black pepper 
      2 t  Thyme 
      3    Juniper berries 
      2    Bay leaves, crumbled 
      4    Carrots, cut into 3" chunks 
      5    Potatoes, peeled and cut 
           -into 3" chunks 
  
  Soak wet clay pot in water for 15 minutes. Dry beef cubes thoroughly 
  and saute briefly in a large skillet over high heat. Remove meat to 
  pot. Cook onions and carrots in skillet for 3 minutes over medium 
  high heat (add an additional tablespoon of oil if necessary). Pour 
  beef stock in skillet, add wine and bring almost to a boil. Simmer 
  for 5 minutes. Add salt, garlic, tomatoes and pepper. Place remaining 
  herbs in a square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with string or 
  thread. Bury bundle in meat. Pour contents of skillet over beef and 
  herbs. Cover and place in a cold oven. Set oven temperature at 450'F. 
  and cook for 90 minutes. While stew is cooking, steam additional 
  carrots and potatoes. Remove casserole from oven and discard herb 
  bundle. Strain juice over a large bowl. Return beef cubes to 
  casserole. Press baked vegetables in sieve placed over stewing juice. 
  Pour juice over beef cubes in casserole. Add steamed carrots and 
  potatoes to casserole. Cover and return to oven for 15-20 minutes.