Beef and Red Wine Casserole
This recipe is one of my facourite things to cook at this time of year
Ingredients
Olive oil
1.2kg diced shin beef
90g diced pancetta (you can increase or reduce depending on the pack size)
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, diced
Knob of ginger (about the size of the top of your finger), grated
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 heaped dessert spoons of flour
300ml red wine
2 tbsp tomato purée
500ml beef stock
3 sprigs of rosemary or thyme
250g mushrooms (flat cap or mixed), sliced
Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3.5.
Method
Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and brown the beef in batches, taking your time to get a deep caramel colour. Set aside each batch in a bowl as it is cooked.
Whilst you are browning the beef, place a large, heavy, ovenproof casserole (with a lid) over a medium heat.
Add some olive oil and, when it is hot, add the pancetta and stir for a minute or two. Add the onion, celery, garlic and ginger and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Add the beef back into the pot, stir, then add the flour and stir well.
Add the red wine and allow it to simmer for a moment or two, then add the tomato purée, thyme, carrots and beef stock. Bring to a simmer, put on the lid and transfer to the oven for 2 hours.
Fry the sliced mushrooms in a little olive oil and set aside.
After 2 hours, add the mushrooms to the casserole* and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Take out of the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes, season to taste and serve with mashed potato or gratin dauphinoise.
If you plan on allowing the casserole to cool in order to reheat it the next day, take it from the oven at this point.
