Ingredients
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus more for rutabagas and potatoes
2 pounds boneless beef chuck or leg of lamb for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium canned beef stock
4 carrots, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 rutabagas (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into large pieces
4 russet or Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into large pieces
1/2 cup hot milk, or more if needed
Preparation
Tie celery, rosemary sprig, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside. Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot. Melt butter, and brown meat in two batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces or they will steam and not brown; transfer meat to a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions; cook until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Return meat to pan and sprinkle flour over the meat and onions, cook about 1 minute, stirring often.
Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid after 1 hour; add carrots, and cook, uncovered, for the last 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Place rutabagas and potatoes in separate saucepans; cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes for the rutabagas and 25 minutes for the potatoes. Drain; return to the saucepans to dry out any moisture from the vegetables for a few minutes.
Put the rutabagas and potatoes through a food mill fitted with a fine disk, or ricer, or mash by hand. Add butter, as desired, and enough hot milk to make a creamy puree. Season with salt and pepper; stir in chopped rosemary.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove bouquet garni; transfer stew into a deep 2-quart baking dish. Top with puree; dot lightly with butter. Bake 1 hour, or until top is brown and crusty. Serve hot.
