Delicious Dishes: Flavoursome meat stews

There are a few ingredients’ that Jim likes to have in his store cupboard, which can give great flavour, they are, smoked garlic, mace and his favourite of all is anchovies. In these recipes from last year, these ingredients’ can really put a punch in a stew.

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Slow cooked shin of veal or beef

3kg Veal or shin beef with bone

2 Carrots, finely chopped

4 Celery sticks, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Red pepper, finely chopped

2 Fresh red chillies, finely chopped

2 x 400grm Tins of tomatoes

1 Bottle of white wine

12 Anchovy fillets

Olive oil

3oz Butter

6 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

2tbsp Chopped parsley

2tbsp Chopped thyme

Rind and juice of 1 lemon

3tbsp Flour seasoned with salt and pepper

Pre heat the oven to 150c or gas mark 2. Dust the beef or veal in the seasoned flour. Heat about 4tbsp of olive oil in a large deep sided pot and fry the meat till browned. Remove and set aside. Melt the butter in the same pan and add 3 more tablespoons of olive oil and fry the vegetables, chilli and garlic until soft. Add the anchovies and give a stir. Add in the tomatoes, wine, parsley and thyme and cook for a further 15 minutes. Place the meat in a deep casserole dish, pour the sauce over it, add in the lemon and cover with a lid or a piece of tinfoil. Cook in the oven for 1 hour then reduce the temperature to 130c and cook for a further 2 hours or until the meat is cooked.

Remove from the oven, check the seasoning and serve. This dish is great served with creamed potato.

Beef Brisket Stew

1tsp Ground mace

1tsp Ground black pepper

1/2tsp Salt

2tbsp Flour

2lb Beef brisket cut into chunks

4tbsp Melted beef dripping or olive oil

2 Onions cut into chunks

2 Carrots cut into chunks

8 Cloves of garlic try and get smoked garlic

4pt Beef stock

1pt Ale or beer

Large bouquet garni

3oz Butter

8oz Quarted mushrooms

Mix the mace, pepper and salt with the flour. Dust the beef in the seasoned flour, reserving any left over. In a large casserole pot, heat 3tbsp of oil and half of the butter over a moderate heat. Add the beef to the pot and seal and colour on all sides until nice and brown. Remove the beef from the pot, place on a large plate. Cool the pot down a little then add in the rest of the oil or dripping and the remaining butter. Add in the mushrooms, onions, carrots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Now stir in any remaining flour, cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the ale and beef stock, bring to a boil and add in the bouquet garni. Bring it all up to a boil then add in the beef. Simmer the stew for about 2 to 3 hours till all is cooked.

Steak with Rosemary Butter

2x8oz Rib eye steaks

4oz Butter

4 Sprigs of rosemary

Rind and juice of 1 lemon

4 Large mushrooms, sliced

2 Cloves of crushed garlic

4 Medium peeled and cubed potatoes

1 Small onion, finely chopped

1/2tsp chilli powder

1tsp Celery salt

1tsp Sugar

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

6 Anchovies

Place the anchovies into a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste with the rosemary leaves. Mix with the softened butter and add in half the rind and juice of the lemon.

Fry the mushrooms and garlic in the anchovy butter for 15 minutes add in the remaining lemon, sugar and season. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Sprinkle with the chilli powder. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the chopped onion add in the potatoes and fry until all is softened. Heat a griddle pan. Coat the steaks with olive oil and the celery salt and fry to your liking. Serve the steaks with the mushrooms and potatoes.