Winter Night In

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1kg beef stewing steak, cut into 2.5cm chunks
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 litre beef stock
900g potatoes
25g unsalted butter
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

2. Place a large saucepan over a high heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil and brown the beef in batches so that the pan isn’t too full. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside on a plate.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the same saucepan and fry the onions, celery and carrots for five minutes, or until the onions have softened. Scrape any cooked on bits from the bottom of the pan, as this will add flavour to the stew. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Mix the beef with the vegetables, then take the pan off the heat. Tip the meat and vegetables into a large ovenproof dish, and pour the stock over the top.

5. Peel and slice the potatoes into 0.5 cm-thick slices, and arrange over the top of the beef. Dot the butter over the top, then cover tightly with foil.

6. Bake for one hour, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and golden-brown. Serve in deep bowls.

Image Credit: Source