Beef and Red Wine Stew with Mushrooms

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 800 gbraising beef chuck, cut into 4 cm chunks
• 2 tbspplain flour
• 12small shallots, peeled and left whole
• 3carrots, cut into chunks
• 4garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 400mlred wine
• 500mlbeef stock
• 5 gfresh thyme sprigs
• 2bay leaves
• 400gchestnut mushrooms, halved
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 1.2kgfloury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 150mlwhole milk
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 300gspring greens or kale, steamed
• 15gparsley, chopped

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 150C fan. Pat the beef dry, season well and toss with the flour. Heat a large casserole over a high heat. Brown the beef in three batches for 4–5 minutes each, dividing 2 tbsp olive oil between the batches, until dark and crusted. Crowding the pan steams the meat, so be patient. Set aside.
2. 2Add the shallots and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until the shallots colour. Stir in the garlic and tomato puree for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and bubble hard for 5 minutes until reduced by half and the raw alcohol smell has gone.
3. 3Return the beef, add the stock, thyme and bay with a teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours.
4. 4During the final 10 minutes of the first two hours in the oven, heat the last tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the mushrooms for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and their liquid has cooked off. Stir into the stew and return it to the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the beef pulls apart with a fork and the sauce has thickened to a glossy coat.
5. 5During the final 30 minutes of braising, put the potatoes in cold salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain, steam dry and mash with the milk, extra virgin olive oil and salt.
6. 6Steam the greens for 5–7 minutes until tender. Fish out the thyme stalks and bay. Taste and season. Serve the stew over the mash with the greens alongside and parsley on top.

Per serving

kcal

779

protein

35.7g

fibre

10g

carbs

62.1g

fat

38.8g