Time for some yummy beef stew!

Time for some yummy beef stew!

I make this dish quite a lot because it’s my daughter Nina’s favourite dinner. It takes a few hours to prepare, but it requires minimal attention. You can pop it in the oven and leave it, then later open the lid and give yourself a high-five for a job well done.

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INGREDIENTS:

800 g beef short rib or stewing lamb*
salt and pepper to taste
30 g (3 tbsp) cake flour
olive oil for frying
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
625 ml (21⁄2 cups) beef stock
80 ml (1∕3 cup) red wine (optional)**
2 big handfuls baby potatoes

1 generous handful green beans, topped and tailed
50 g sachet (3 tbsp) tomato paste
2,5 ml (1⁄2 tsp) white sugar
20 ml (11⁄2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
45 ml (3 tbsp) chutney
15 ml (1 tbsp) salted butter
1 bay leaf
5 ml (1 tsp) dried rosemary

*make sure it has some fat on it
** use more beef stock if you leave this out

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Season the beef on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Add the flour to a bowl, chuck the beef in and toss it until it’s coated on all sides.
3. Over medium heat, add a swig of olive oil to a large cast-iron casserole dish or Dutch oven. Brown the beef on all sides in batches, about
   3 minutes per batch. (The beef does not have to be cooked all the way through.) Set aside.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook on low heat until slightly browned and soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the beef stock and deglaze the pot by scraping the brown bits from the bottom using a wooden spoon. Give it all a good stir.
6. Add the red wine (or more beef stock), baby potatoes, green beans, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chutney, butter, bay leaf and rosemary. Give it another good stir.
7. Bring to a simmer, then add back the beef. Pop the lid on and transfer the pot to the oven.
8. Cook until the meat is tender, about 3 hours – check it and give it another 20 minutes if it isn’t yet tender.
9. Serve as is or with rice.