Beef Navarin Deluxe
INGREDIENTS:
1.3 kg gravy beef
9-10 kipfler potatoes; or chat potatoes halved
3 birdseye chili seeded and chopped
10 shallots peeled and whole
1 bunch of dutch carrots peeled and trimmed
2 sticks celery finely chopped
2 medium zucchinis chopped
2 large truss tomatoes; eighths and halved
1 tub tomato paste
1 dash red wine
2 tbs traditional roast gravy powder
2 cups of beef stock (+ more for regulating)
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
4 rashers shortcut bacon
150 g small button mushrooms
1 small handful of chopped spinach
½ cup of pizza cheese (see note below)
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Dice meat into 2-3 cm chunks, trimming off fat ans sinew. Heat oil in a large non-stick pot (with a lid for later). Toss beef in a plastic bag with 3 tbs of plain flour until coated, and then brown in the pot in batches. Place meat in a colander and set aside.
Heat a tsp of oil in the same pot. Cook bacon, garlic & chilli until just soft.
Boil beef stock in a small saucepan, then pour over gravy powder in a jug and stir until thickened; add to bacon mixture in the pot.
Add tomato paste, wine, tomatoes, thyme and rosemary and stir through. Return meat to the pot and stir, bringing to a slow boil and simmer for one hour.
in the meantime peel the carrots and trim the greens: wash and stem the mushrooms leaving thee small ones whole, and just halving the bigger ones. Peel the shallots and leave whole.
Add all these vegetables to the pot and stir through. Then simmer for a further hour, using additional stock or water to control the liquid content.
Transfer to a casserole dish greased with butter, and top with spinach and pizza cheese, the then bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30 minutes.
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Serves 4-6 with plenty of leftovers
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“THIS IS NEXT LEVEL BEEF STEW. GOOD ENOUGH FOR DINNER PARTIES, NEEDS NOTHING ELSE APART FROM A NICE PLATE ”
Simple cooking, but lots to do. A high amber for sure.
YOU CAN COOK THIS RECIPE SIMPLY IN ONE POT AND DISH UP AS A NORMAL STEW, OR DRESS IT UP IN THE CASSEROLE DISH AS YOU PLEASE. I HAVE TRIED PUFF PASTRY IN A LATTICE PATTERN AS WELL. THE CHILLIES ADD A HIT OF WARMTH. ALSO KEY IS THE ADDITION OF THE VEGGIES AFTER THE FIRST HOUR OF COOKING TO AVOID THEM MELTING INTO THE STEW.
Return beef to the pan and add the flour, stirring to coat all ingredients. Cook for a further minute.
Place everything in a casserole dish, making sure you get all the juices etc. Stir in the wine and the stock, and add the bouquet garni from the marinade.
Cover dish and place in the oven. Bake for 2 hours or until beef is very tender. Remove bouquet garni before serving.
Serves four.