Overview

• Ryczek recommends a starch slurry made from cornflour/cornstarch, with arrowroot or potato starch as alternatives.
• Combine equal parts starch and cold water, stir it in gradually, and let the stew boil for about two minutes to thicken, with about a tablespoon often sufficient.
• Coat the beef with a cornflour-and-pepper mix before searing to help build body and structure in the sauce.
• The starch absorbs moisture released by vegetables, maintaining flavor while giving the gravy a smooth, glossy finish.
• The method browns beef, sautés onions, celery and carrots, reduces wine with tomato purée, simmers with stock and bay leaves for 1.5 hours, then adds potatoes for roughly 20 minutes.