MARY BERRY BEEF STEW RECIPES

Cook time: 2-2½ hours, plus resting

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4.

2. Season the flour with salt and pepper and then toss the lamb in the flour. Heat some of the oil in a wide-based flameproof and ovenproof casserole dish with a lid, then fry the lamb on all sides over a high heat for 4–6 minutes until golden. Fry the lamb in batches, adding more oil as needed and removing each batch with a slotted spoon to set aside while you cook the rest.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan, then tip in the onions, celery and carrots and fry over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and thyme and scatter the browned lamb over the top. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce the heat and arrange the potatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper as you layer the potato slices, gently pressing down so the liquid rises to cover them.

5. Cover with the lid and carefully transfer to the oven to cook for 1½–2 hours or until the lamb and potatoes are both tender. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6, remove the lid and cook for a further 8–10 minutes or until the potatoes are golden.

6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and remove the bay leaves before serving with a leafy green vegetable, such as chard or cabbage.

Mary’s Classic Tips:

* Ask your butcher to give you the bones from the filleted neck – perfect for making stock. Roast the bones for a fuller flavour, then cover with water and simmer with herbs and chopped vegetables for an hour. Freeze to use when you next make stew.

* Check the stew after 1½ hours – you don’t want it to dry out, particularly as it will be cooked for another 8–10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Put the flour on a large plate or tray, then add the mustard and season. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over a medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.

Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before tipping the vegetables on top of the meat in the casserole.

Pour the Guinness and stock into the casserole dish and add the redcurrant jelly. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season. Cover the casserole and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning and leave until cold.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush water around the lip of the dish then cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid and press to seal.

Trim and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and re-glaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the centre of the lid.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 1 hour 40 minutes–2 hours 10 minutes

Preheat the oven to 150˚c/130˚c Fan/Gas 2.

Heat a deep ovenproof frying pan with a lid, or a large cast-iron casserole dish, over a high heat. Add the oil and the lamb and fry for 3–4 minutes or until the meat is golden brown all over. You may need to do this in two batches. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the onions and celery to the pan and fry over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until starting to soften but not browned. Add the garlic and ginger, then sprinkle in the spices and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for 10 seconds, add the tomatoes, stock, tomato purée, harissa paste, honey, apricots and preserved lemons. Bring to the boil, stirring, and then return the lamb and any juices to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven, stir in the chickpeas and check the seasoning, then return to the oven, uncovered, and cook for another ½–1 hour or until the onions have softened and the meat is tender (see note).

Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with the Nutty Wholemeal Couscous Salad or Moroccan Summer Salad from Quick Cooking.

Mary's wise words:
The cooking time depends on the size of the lamb pieces – smaller chunks may take a bit less time to cook.

Cook time: 2-2½ hours, plus resting

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4.

2. Season the flour with salt and pepper and then toss the lamb in the flour. Heat some of the oil in a wide-based flameproof and ovenproof casserole dish with a lid, then fry the lamb on all sides over a high heat for 4–6 minutes until golden. Fry the lamb in batches, adding more oil as needed and removing each batch with a slotted spoon to set aside while you cook the rest.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan, then tip in the onions, celery and carrots and fry over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add the bay leaves and thyme and scatter the browned lamb over the top. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil.

4. Reduce the heat and arrange the potatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper as you layer the potato slices, gently pressing down so the liquid rises to cover them.

5. Cover with the lid and carefully transfer to the oven to cook for 1½–2 hours or until the lamb and potatoes are both tender. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan/Gas 6, remove the lid and cook for a further 8–10 minutes or until the potatoes are golden.

6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes and remove the bay leaves before serving with a leafy green vegetable, such as chard or cabbage.

Mary’s Classic Tips:

* Ask your butcher to give you the bones from the filleted neck – perfect for making stock. Roast the bones for a fuller flavour, then cover with water and simmer with herbs and chopped vegetables for an hour. Freeze to use when you next make stew.

* Check the stew after 1½ hours – you don’t want it to dry out, particularly as it will be cooked for another 8–10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Put the flour on a large plate or tray, then add the mustard and season. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over a medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.

Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before tipping the vegetables on top of the meat in the casserole.

Pour the Guinness and stock into the casserole dish and add the redcurrant jelly. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season. Cover the casserole and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning and leave until cold.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush water around the lip of the dish then cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid and press to seal.

Trim and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and re-glaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the centre of the lid.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.