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!

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until it is a smooth paste

Heat the stew and stir in the picada, a spoonful at a time. Taste as you go (some prefer only a little of the picada because of its strong flavor.