Mince onion and carrot. halve roma tomatoes and remove the cores. as opposed to mincing, i thinly sliced the garlic. this is optional, but i like bigger pieces of garlic in my stews.

To prepare the leeks, chop off the root and leaves, leaving only the stalk. score the first two layers of the leek and peel off. rinse excess dirt and pat dry.

(assuming you didn’t cook over-seasoned steak the night before) pat dry steaks and season with coarse kosher salt and pepper. let sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes or until room temp. sear fat caps, then sear both sides for about 2 minutes each. take out of the pot and let rest.

Add butter + minced onion/carrots + halved tomatoes in the pot. sauté until onions are translucent and carrots are soft. the skin of the tomatoes will split from the flesh and can be easily removed with tongs or a fork.

Mash the veggies together, adding in tomato paste, smoked paprika, and garlic. allow the mixture to darken, then add your broth of choice, soy sauce, and other seasonings. add your steak back into the pot and cover. make sure the heat is on low, and don’t add the cream or sugar until 40 minutes into the cooking process.

After adding cream and sugar, cover again for 35 more minutes or until the meat is completely tender. stoves may vary, so the time it takes to finish depends on if you have a gas, electric or even just an old stove. keep and eye on it and use your gut. love it and leave it alone.

For the leeks, sear in lightly browned butter and add white wine. let the wine reduce and add milk or broth. i decided to use milk so the sauce would be richer. season with dill weed, pepper, and kosher salt (lightly salt!). garnish with shredded white cheddar.