Beef and Red Wine Casserole

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 4 bacon rashers, rind and excess fat trimmed, chopped
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 3cm cubes
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 250ml (1 cup) dry red wine
• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) beef stock
• 1 x 400g can peeled whole tomatoes, undrained, mashed
• 3 (about 300g) carrots, peeled, diagonally sliced
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
• Boiled potatoes or mashed potato, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large, heavy-based ovenproof saucepan or flameproof casserole dish with a lid over medium-low heat. Add the bacon and onion, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for a further minute or until aromatic. Transfer the bacon mixture to a plate and set aside.
2. Heat half the remaining oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook, tossing occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle the beef with half the flour and cook for a further minute. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Repeat with the remaining oil, beef and flour.
3. Add the wine to the pan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Cook, using a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to scrape the base of the pan to dislodge any bits that have cooked onto it, for 1 minute (this is called deglazing and will add colour and flavour to the casserole).
4. Return the bacon mixture and the beef to the pan. Add the stock, mashed tomatoes and carrots, and stir to combine. Bring to the boil over high heat. Cover the pan and cook in preheated oven for 2 hours or until the beef is very tender. Remove the pan from the oven and use a large metal spoon to skim any excess fat from the surface of the casserole. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley. Serve with boiled potatoes or mashed potato.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1kg chuck steak
• 1/3 cup seasoned plain flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 1/4 cups beef stock
• 12 pickling onions, peeled
• 500g carrots
• 250g button mushrooms
• 400g chat potatoes, halved

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Cut 1kg chuck steak, into 2.5cm pieces and dust with 1/3 cup seasoned plain flour. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a stoveproof and ovenproof dish over medium-high heat. Cook meat in 4 batches, adding oil if needed. Remove all meat from pan.
2. Increase heat to high. Add 1 cup red wine. Bring to boil, scraping base of pan to remove sediment. Add 1 1/4 cups beef stock. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat.
3. Add 12 pickling onions, peeled, 500g carrots, cut into 4cm pieces, 250g button mushrooms and 400g chat potatoes, halved. Return the beef to the pan. Toss until combined. Bake for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Serve with crusty bread.