Not Your Average Cafeteria Beef Stew

Beef stews can be bland or pasty or just plain uninspiring, but I promise you this one is anything but. Like most everything I make, it originated in one place, and over time and with adjustments, it came to be what it is today. Stews and soups—or at least the type of ones I make—are very forgiving, which is good, because if I can avoid measuring, I will.