Saturday 16 March 2013

Melt in the Mouth Stew


This stew has been tried and tested, a favourite of everyone who tries it. It is a great winter warmer and is even better the next day! Mustard mash is great to serve with this, but be sure to use good quality red wine!


Serves 6/8

INGREDIENTS:

2lb of diced stewing beef (from a quality butchers)
Chantenay Carrots
Button Mushrooms
Shallots
Plum Tomatoes
Plain Flour
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
Chicken Stock
Red Wine
Crusty Loaf
2 Garlic Cloves
5 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme
5 Sprigs of Rosemary
2 tsp of Ground Ginger

WHAT TO DO:

In a big casserole pan heat a good glug of olive oil. In a bowl, put 2 cups of plain flour and add salt and pepper to season. Then in batches put in the diced beef, coating the beef in the flour.

In batches fry in the beef in the pan until brown, and put to one side (the bottom of the pan will have knarly bits in, DO NOT get rid of this as this is where the flavour comes from). Put the onions, carrots, rosemary, thyme, ginger, salt and pepper in the pan and fry until coloured.

Pour the wine into the pan and deglaze (deglazing is when you put fluid into a pan and scrape the pan of the encrusted flour and meat from the bottom), reducing the wine.

Put the meat back in the pan and stir adding the stock, then add the tomatoes, mushrooms and gently mix.

Handy Tip:

Add the tomato's and mushrooms at the end as you do not want to break them up by stirring.

Take some tin foil, double fold and tightly cover the top of the pan. Place the lid on top of the foil and place in a preheated oven 180c for 3 & 1/2hrs.

The stew is ready when you touch the meat and it breaks apart and when the fluid in the pan has reduced and thickened.

Check the stew and see if it needs seasoning.

Serve with crusty bread or mustard mash.

Recipe by Matt Grice

Photo taken by Rach Grice

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