Beef Stew With Vegetables

Place flour in a plastic bag. Add meat, a few pieces at a time, shaking to coat. In a 4- or 6-quart pressure cooker heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Cook meat, half at a time, until brown on all sides. Add more oil, if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Drain off fat.

Return all the meat to cooker and add celery, carrots, potatoes, turnips, onion, garlic, basil, thyme, bay leaf, and vegetable juice.

Lock lid in place. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe (if you have a first-generation cooker). Over high heat, bring cooker up to pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain pressure and pressure regulator rocks gently; cook for 12 minutes.

Allow pressure to come down naturally. Carefully remove lid.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives or parsley.

This recipe yields 4 main-dish servings (7 cups).

Nutritional facts per serving: calories 405; total fat 12g; saturated fat 4g; cholesterol 82mg; sodium 564mg; carbohydrate 43g; fiber 6g; protein 32g; vitamin A 182%; vitamin C 73%; calcium 7%; iron 33%.