Winter beef stew
I love making this Italian winter beef casserole for my family during the cold months. It’s so comforting, so hearty and so yummy! Not only is this a one-pot dish (so easy to make & hardly any washing-up to do) but the rosemary gremolata takes it to a different level! By the way, the authentic recipe is made with veal and I‘ve cooked it with lamb too, which was just as delicious!
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C.
- Peel the vegetables. Chop the onion, cut the parsnips lengthwise, then in half. Cut the carrots in half and chop the squash into bite-sized pieces. If the potatoes are big, cut them in half.
- Add some oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish, then gently soften the onion. Add the sage leaves and stir for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with a little cornflour (about 1 or 2 teaspoons), then add to the onion and stir for a few seconds.
- Add the tomato purée and pour in the wine and stock. Season with salt & pepper, then bring to the boil.
- Cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil and put it in the middle of the oven. Cook for about 3 hours (depending on the quality of the beef). It’s ready when the meat is tender, the sauce is thick and silky (do check after 2 hours of cooking).
- Mince the garlic and finely chop the rosemary leaves. Using a pestle &mortar mix the rosemary, lemon zest and garlic into a rough paste.
- Serve the stew with the rosemary gremolata sprinkled on top.