Italian beef stew

Recipe by:

This red wine beef, carrot and mushroom stew is full of rich flavour and fresh herbs, perfect to enjoy with mashed potato for a hearty supper

Italian beef stew

SERVES

6

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

30

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

120

MINUTES

CUISINE

Italian

COURSE

Main

Method

  1. Trim the meat of any excess fat, then prepare the vegetables. Cut the meat into 4cm (1½ inch) cubes. Heat the olive oil in a casserole; sweat the sliced onions and carrots on a gentle heat with a lid on for 8-10 minutes. Heat a little more olive oil in a frying pan until almost smoking.

  2. Sear the pieces of meat on all sides, add to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour over the meat stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the red wine, stock and tomato purée together and bring to the boil. Deglaze the pan, with a little stock, scrape to dissolve the flavoursome sediment, bring back to the boil and then add to the casserole. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  3. Cover and cook gently for 2-2½ hours in a low oven, depending on the cut of meat, 160°C.

  4. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and add with the parsley to the casserole, 30 minutes approx. before the end of cooking. Serve with Polenta, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1.35kg well hung stewing beef or lean flank 

  • 2 large carrots cut into ½ inch slices 

  • 285g onions, sliced 

  • 1 heaped tbsp flour 

  • 150ml red wine 

  • 150ml brown beef stock 

  • 250ml homemade tomato purĂ©e, otherwise use best quality tinned tomatoes - pureed and sieved 

  • 175g mushrooms sliced 

  • 2 tbsp, chopped parsley 

  • salt

  • freshly ground pepper 

Method

  1. Trim the meat of any excess fat, then prepare the vegetables. Cut the meat into 4cm (1½ inch) cubes. Heat the olive oil in a casserole; sweat the sliced onions and carrots on a gentle heat with a lid on for 8-10 minutes. Heat a little more olive oil in a frying pan until almost smoking.

  2. Sear the pieces of meat on all sides, add to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour over the meat stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the red wine, stock and tomato purée together and bring to the boil. Deglaze the pan, with a little stock, scrape to dissolve the flavoursome sediment, bring back to the boil and then add to the casserole. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

  3. Cover and cook gently for 2-2½ hours in a low oven, depending on the cut of meat, 160°C.

  4. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and add with the parsley to the casserole, 30 minutes approx. before the end of cooking. Serve with Polenta, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad.

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