Clean the meat of any nerves or tendons and cut into chunks
Season the meat with salt and pepper, and cover in flour (shake off any excess)
Brown the meat on all sides in a heavy pot covered with olive oil, then remove the meat and reserve for later
If using dried mushrooms, cover them with water to hydrate
Using the same pot and oil, sauté the onion and carrot until both are cooked through and golden
Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant
Add the tomato paste and herbs, and sauté for about a minute
Add the meat back in (and any juices that were released while resting)
Cover with the diced tomatoes, red wine, and sherry/port
Bring to a boil and then simmer until the liquid has reduced by half
Add the beef stock and rehydrated mushrooms, make sure the meat is fully covered by liquid
Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour, stirring every now and then
Once the meat is tender and the stew is ready, sauté the fresh mushrooms in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper
Add the picada (below) to the stew to taste
Add the sauteed mushrooms to the stew right before serving
Enjoy! I love fricandó with a side of rice or mashed potatoes - pasta or roasted potatoes (or homemade french fries) are great too!