Beef & Red Wine Stew

Servings: Serves 4-6

Cooking time: 1 ½ – 3 hours

Ingredients

• 800g Chump or braising steak
• 2 onions
• 1 head celery
• 2 carrots
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
• plain flour 2 ½ tablespoons
• 1 bay leaf
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• 500ml red wine (or water or stock)
• salt and pepper
• 1 heaped teaspoon mustard powder

Method

1. Heat a heavy based casserole pan, add a little olive oil. Let the pan get very hot.
2. Cut the beef into bite sized cubes and toss lightly in the flour and mustard powder mixed together, season with salt and pepper and start browning the meat in small batches (a single layer) at a time.
3. hen the meat is nicely brown on both sides, remove it to a plate or bowl and continue all the meat is browned. While the meat is browning, prepare the vegetables.
4. Peel and chop the onions, wash and chop the carrots and celery.
5. In the same pan add a little more olive oil and then the chopped vegetables, onions, celery, carrots and garlic, cook over a medium heat until softened and browning a little ( 15 – 20 minutes ). Season with salt and pepper.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Then add the meat and all juices back into the pan with the vegetables. Add the red wine and some water if need be, it should just cover the meat.
8. Cover with a lid and simmer gently on the stove or cook in the oven at 150C for 1 ½ – 3 hours until the meat is really tender.
9. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Notes

This will keep well for a few days and will also freeze well for up to two months.