Beef and Vegetable Casserole
A traditional braised beef stew with thick, rich gravy – an ideal recipe for cheap cuts as slow-cooking guarantees a tender dish
Ingredients
2 celery sticks, thickly sliced 1 onion, chopped 2 really big carrots, halved lengthways then very chunkily sliced 5 bay leaves 2 thyme sprigs, 1 whole and 1 leaves picked, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled 850g stewing beef (featherblade or brisket works nicely), cut into nice large chunks
Instructions
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and put the kettle on. Put 2 thickly sliced celery sticks, 1 chopped onion, 2 chunkily sliced carrots, 5 bay leaves and 1 whole thyme sprig in a flameproof casserole dish with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter. Soften for 10 mins, then stir in 2 tbsp plain flour until it doesn’t look dusty anymore, followed by 2 tbsp tomato purée, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 crumbled beef stock cubes. Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in 850g stewing beef and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and put in the oven for 2hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for 30mins – 1hr more until the meat is really tender and the sauce is thickened. Garnish with the picked leaves of the remaining thyme sprig.