Simple Beef Casserole

Simple Beef Casserole – for 3

450g of slow cook beef (Approx. 150g per person)

1 large carrot or a handful of chantenay carrots

1 parsnip

250g of cup mushrooms

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1 – 1 ½ pints of gravy (Bisto?)

2 teaspoons ‘herbs de Provence’

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of oil

  Method:

1.    Pre-heat oven to 140 degrees centigrade
2.     Peel and chop the carrot and parsnip into rough, equal sized pieces.
3.  Also peel the onion and finely chop – crush the garlic cloves.
4.  Roughly chop the mushrooms (remember they shrink when cooking).
5. Heat the oil in a large pan at a medium heat.
6. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, fry until soft and translucent – not brown!
7. Add the mushrooms and stir together for 2 mins until they start to shrink.
8.  Add the beef and fry evenly for 6 mins, it does not need to be cooked through. Meanwhile - make up the gravy and stir in tomato puree and herbs.
9. Generously season the food in the pan with salt and pepper.
10. Add the carrots and parsnips to the casserole dish, gently tip the contents of the pan on top and stir in to combine.
11. Pour over the gravy; make sure that everything is submerged.
12. Put the lid on the casserole dish and put in the oven. Leave for 3 – 4 hours to cook slowly.
13. Prepare accompaniment and enjoy                                                                                   

 To serve:

Potatoes for roasting or mash

Peas/beans/broccoli to boil or steam

 

 NB. Look at cheaper forgotten cuts like bone-in-shin, ox tail, sliced leg or chuck steak. Cooked slowly the meat will simply melt away and become gorgeously tender while any bones add richness to the gravy.

 

Leftovers? Enjoy re-heated with crusty bread or on its own.