SLOW COOKED RED WINE BEEF STEW RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. Heat a glug of oil in the casserole over a high heat. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper, then fry in 2-3 batches until browned all over. Set aside.
• Put the dried porcini in a heatproof bowl, pour over 200ml freshly boiled water, then set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat another glug of oil in the casserole over a medium heat, then add the onions and celery. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until beginning to colour and soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then add the rehydrated porcini with all but the last 1cm soaking liquid (discard as it will be gritty), the tomato purée, wine, herbs and tinned tomatoes. Rinse out the tin with the beef stock and add that to the casserole as well. Stir well.
• Return the browned beef to the casserole, cover with the lid, then transfer to the oven and cook for 5 hours. After 3 hours of cooking, give the stew a good stir, then add the potatoes, olives and capers. Continue to cook until the meat is fall-apart tender and the potatoes have softened.
• At the end of cooking, let the casserole rest for a few minutes, then serve with chunky slices of garlic bread (or see Make Ahead).

Steps:

• Heat the slow cooker to high. Toss the beef in the seasoned flour then shake off the excess. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Fry some of the beef chunks, making sure not to crowd the pan, on a high heat until browned all over. This will add a lovely deep colour to the final stew. Scoop the beef out of the pan and into the slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef and oil.
• Pour the red wine into the frying pan and bubble, scraping the crusty bits from the base. Tip into the slow cooker. Add the onion, carrots, celery, tomato pur é e, rosemary and beef stock to the slow cooker and stir. Put on the lid and cook for 4 hours, then season. Serve the stew in bowls with mashed potato, broccoli and a sprinkle of parsley, if you like.