Slow-braised Beef Stew with Mushrooms

Subtle Asian flavors such as ginger, Chinese five spices and soy sauce are combined with ribs and mushrooms in a slow cooker to create a light and flavorful beef stew. Serve this hearty, mouth-watering beef dish with jasmine rice or mashed potatoes - you'll definitely want something to drizzle with the thick sauce. If you don't have port or cream sherry on hand, you can simply increase the amount of red wine by 1/2 cup as a substitute.
Wash the meat, cut into 3-4-inch-thick pieces (for chicken, about 1 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide), and place in a 5-6-quart slow cooker.Using a vegetable peeler, cut off some of the peel and slice it; leave the orange for other purposes. In a 1 1/2-to 2-quart saucepan, combine the rind, onion, 1 cup broth, wine, port wine, vinegar, soy sauce, thyme, ginger, and five spices. Bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the liquid over the meat. Turn the slow cooker on high, cover and cook until the meat is very soft after piercing, 5-6 hours.Wash and dry the mushrooms; trim and discard the stems. Cut the mushrooms in half lengthwise and place in a 10-to 12-inch skillet; add the butter.In a slow cooker, remove the skin and remove the fat from the liquid. Pour 1 cup of liquid into the mushroom pan. Stir the mushrooms frequently over high heat until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are lightly browned, 13 to 17 minutes.Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the juice in the slow cooker and place in a single layer in a shallow 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with mushrooms. Bake in a regular or convection oven at 375 ° C until the meat is sizzling and browned, 12 to 15 minutes.Meanwhile, measure out the remaining liquid from the slow cooker. If there are less than 2 cups left, add the beef broth to make 2 cups, pour into a 2-3-liter saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat; if there is more left, pour into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the amount of broth is reduced to 2 cups, 8 to 12 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup water. Pour into the boiling liquid and stir until it thickens, about 30 seconds. Pour evenly over the meat and gently stir to combine with the liquid in the casserole, adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with green onions.