delicious UK – April 2018

Christine’s(Vic’smum’s)

slow-cooked beef stew

SERVES 4-6. HANDS-ON TIME 35 MIN,

OVEN TIME 4½-5 HOURS

MAKE

AHEAD

Make up to 4 days ahead and

keepcoveredinthefridge.

Freeze in a resealable

container for up to 3 months.

FOOD

TEAM’S

TIP

IfusinganAga,halvethestock

and ale, as the liquid won’t

reduce as much – it’s good to

have a thick gravy.

• Olive oil for frying


• 3smallonions,eachcutinto8wedges


• 4 carrots, sliced into thick rounds


• 2 celery sticks, roughly sliced
  •200gchestnutmushrooms, halved
  •3garliccloves,sliced


• 1.5kg British braising steak, cut into
  chunkypieces
  •4tbspplainflour
  •1tspEnglishmustardpowder
  •4tbsptomatopurée


• 330ml brown ale


• 4 Oxo beef stock cubes, dissolved in
  800mlboiling water


• ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce


• 4 bay leaves


• Seasonal potatoes to serve

1 Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/

gas1.Heataglugofoilinacasserole

(onewithalid)overamediumheat.

Add the onions, carrots and celery and

fryfor8-10minutesuntilsoftened.Add

themushroomsandgarlicandfryfor

4 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

2 Meanwhile,heataglugofoilin

afryingpanoveramedium-highheat.

Inabowl,tossthebeefwiththeflour,

mustard powder and salt and pepper.

Brownthebeefin2-3batches,thenadd

to the casserole with the tomato purée

andale.Stirwellandbubbleoverahigh

heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the stock

and Worcestershire sauce and add the

bayleaves.Bringtotheboil,cover,put

intheovenandcookfor4½-5hours.

3 Checkthebeefistender(itshouldfall

aparteasilywhenproddedwithafork)

tasteandseasonwithsaltandpepper.

Servewithseasonalpotatoes.

PER SERVING (FOR 6)503kcals, 18.8g

fat(6.5gsaturated),58.7gprotein,19.9g

carbs (9.3g sugars), 1.8g salt, 4.4g fibre

DIGITALEDITOR(MATERNITYCOVER)VICGRIMSHAW

IremembermymumbraisingsteakinthebottomoftheAga
forwhatfeltlikedaysonend.Italwayssmelledamazingandthe
aromafloodedthroughthehouse.Finallywewererewardedwith
platefulsoftenderbeefandoniony,super-softcarrotygoodness.
The Aga was a gift for my folks’ wedding anniversary, which
makesit50yearsoldandstill
going strong. It really was
–andis–thehubofthehouse.Somuch
happenson,aroundandinit.ForMum,Oxo
wasthestockcubeofchoice.Shehad(andstill
has)aclassicOxodispenserfromtheSeventies
fixedtothewall,andIfound it fascinating to
playwithasachild.
Whateverthetimeofyear,thefinished
dishwasalwaysservedwithpotatoes–
glorious spuds, in all their seasonal beauty!
Mydadwasafarmer,likehisfatherbefore
him, mainly arable and mainly potatoes. So
whetheritwasfresh-from-the-groundnew
potatoesorearthybakedpotatoesinwinter,
they made the meal of my childhood.

Christine

and her

trusty Aga

FARMHOUSE

GOODNESS

Christine’s

beef stew