BEEF CASSEROLE RECIPE RECIPES

Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and season. Toss a third of the beef in flour to coat, shaking off excess. Heat 1tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry meat until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon to the slow cooker after each batch. Repeat with the remaining meat using 1tbsp oil each time. Add the stock to the pan, scraping up brown bits.

Pour the stock into the slow cooker slowly and mix well with the beef. Mix in the onions, ale, bay leaf and thyme. Finally stir in the mushrooms and carrots and season. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 4hr. 

Meanwhile, make dumplings. Mix all ingredients, apart from cheese, in a bowl with plenty of seasoning, or pulse in a food processor until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add cheese and mix in to form larger flakes, then sprinkle over 1–2tbsp water to bring the dough together. Roll into 6 balls and dot around stew leaving a 2cm gap between them. Cover again with the lid and cook for a further 1hr.

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/300ºF/gas 2.
2. Peel and roughly chop the onion, peel and quarter the parsnips and peel and halve the carrots. Deseed and roughly dice the squash, and peel and halve the Jerusalem artichokes (if using). Pick the sage leaves.
3. Heat a little oil and the butter in a casserole pan on a medium heat, add the onion and sage leaves, then fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, the tomato purée, wine and stock, then gently stir together. Season generously with black pepper and just a little sea salt.
5. Bring to the boil, place a lid on top, then place in the oven until the meat is tender – sometimes this takes 3 hours, sometimes 4 – it depends on what cut of meat you’re using and how fresh it is. The only way to test is to mash up a piece of meat and if it falls apart easily it’s ready.
6. Once cooked, turn the oven down to about 110°C/225°F/gas ¼ and just hold it there until you’re ready to eat.
7. The best way to serve this is by ladling big spoonfuls into bowls, accompanied by a glass of French red wine and some really fresh, warmed bread.
8. Finely grate the lemon zest, pick and finely chop the rosemary and peel and finely chop the garlic, then mix together and sprinkle over the stew before serving. Just the smallest amount will make a world of difference – as soon as it hits the hot stew it will release an amazing fragrance.