A good gutsy stew which can be made in large quantities – it reheats and freezes brilliantly.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.35kg well hung stewing beef or lean flank
  • 2 large carrots cut into 1cm thick slices
  • 285g sliced onions
  • 1 heaped tablespoon flour
  • 150ml red wine
  • 150ml brown beef stock
  • 250ml homemade Tomato Purée, otherwise use best quality tinned tomato -
  • pureed and sieved
  • 175g sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Sprinkle a little gremolata (see recipe below) over each portion of Italian Beef Stew and serve.

Gremolata
Gremolata is a fresh tasting mix of chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest. We use it to sprinkle over roast or braised meats, pastas or anything pan-grilled – delicious!

  • 4 tablespoons preferably flat parsley, chopped
  • 1 generous teaspoon grated or finely chopped lemon zest
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Tomato Purée

We make lots of homemade tomato puree at the end of the Summer when the tomatoes are really ripe – it's brilliant to have in the freezer for tomato soup, stews, casseroles etc.

  • 900g very ripe tomatoes
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • a good pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper

Method

  1. Trim the meat of any excess fat, then prepare the vegetables. Cut the meat into 4cm cubes. Heat the olive oil in a casserole; sweat the sliced onions and carrots on a gentle heat with a lid on for 10 minutes.
  2. Heat a little more olive oil in a frying pan until almost smoking. Sear the pieces of meat on all sides, add to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour over the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the wine, stock and tomato purée together, deglaze the pan, bring back to the boil and then add to the casserole.
  4. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and cook gently for 2 1/2-3 hours in a low oven, depending on the cut of meat, 160c.
  5. Meanwhile sauté the mushrooms and add with the parsley to the casserole, 30 minutes approx. before the end of cooking. Serve with Polenta, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad.

Gremolata

  1. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and use soon.

Tomato Purée

  1. Cut the tomatoes into quarters, put into a stainless steel saucepan with the onion, salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar. Cook on a gentle heat until the tomatoes are soft (no water needed).
  2. Put through the fine blade of the Mouli-legume or a nylon sieve. Allow to get cold then refrigerate or freeze.

Note: Tomato Purée is one of the very best ways of preserving the flavour of ripe summer tomatoes