3 basic stew carrots mushrooms Recipes

olive oil, divided, cremini mushrooms, chopped onion, garlic cloves, minced, all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 oz), lean beef stew meat , cut into bite-sized pieces, salt, divided, dry red wine, chopped fresh thyme, less-sodium beef broth, bay leaf, cubed peeled white potato (about 1 lb), carrot (about 12 oz), freshly ground black pepper, fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

boneless beef chuck roast (about 2 inches thick), trimmed, matchstick-size strips pancetta or bacon, dry red wine, olive oil, onion, chopped, carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds, celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, bay leaves, whole juniper berries, dried porcini mushrooms,** rinsed to remove grit, whole black peppercorns, basic polenta