Pumpkin-Cider Stew

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/4  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  2-pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1  14-ounce can lower-sodium beef broth
• 1-1/2  cups apple cider
• 1/4  cup cider vinegar
• 1  2- to 3-pound pie pumpkin or 2 pounds potatoes
• 4  medium parsnips and/or carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2  red apples, cored and cut into wedges

Directions

1. In a self-sealing plastic bag, combine flour, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Add beef cubes. Close bag; shake to coat. In a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add half of the beef and half of the onion. Cook and stir until beef is browned. Remove mixture from Dutch oven and repeat with remaining oil, beef, and onion. Return all beef and onion to Dutch oven. Add broth, apple cider, and vinegar. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1 1/4 hours.

2. If using pie pumpkin, peel, seed, and remove strings from pumpkin. Cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks. If using potatoes, peel and cut potatoes into wedges.

3. Add pumpkin pieces or potatoes and parsnips and/or carrots to beef mixture. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add apple; cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more or until vegetables and apple are tender.