A leave-it-to-cook wonder dish, the key to stewing is long slow cooking over a gentle heat, or in a gentle oven. So the longer the stew is stewing the better, allowing more time for the flavours to develop. An amazing ‘leave it’ recipe.
Ingredients
- 100g stewing beef per person
- 2 carrots -washed, peeled and cut into chunks
- 6 to 8 carrots -washed, peeled and sliced
- 2 onions -peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 sticks celery -washed and cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp of flour
- 1 bottle red wine (half a glass per person)
- 500ml of stock
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- Oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat some oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently cook the onion and celery.
Add the beef and brown all over. Sprinkle flour all over and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour over the amount of wine required (half a glass per person) and stir, taking care to remove any lumps. Add the two carrots that have been cut into chunks, along with the tomato puree, sugar, half the stock and bay leaves. Allow to cook over a gentle heat for at least 1 and a half hours (you can cook it for up to three hours).
Stir occasionally to make sure the pot isn’t burning, add more stock if the sauce is too thick. 20 minutes from the end of cooking, add the sliced carrots and continue to cook gently.
To Serve
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve with mashed or whole potatoes.
Enjoy!
Fiona