Old School Beef Casserole

In terms of winter warmer dishes, this would be a top 5 recipe. It’s based on my late mother-in-law’s recipe which hubby has asked me to recreate time and time again...but it was never quite right. You see as is the case with so many family recipes, the exact ingredients for this casserole disappeared with her passing as no one had written it down.    

After so many attempts, this recipe brought a wide smile to hubby’s face as he announced it was “just like mum’s” - and that is the greatest compliment of all!    

H xx  

Serves: 6  
Preparation time: 15 minutes  
Cooking time: 120 minutes    

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg diced beef 
• 1/4 cup olive oil  
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped  
• 2 carrots, finely chopped  
• 3 potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped   
• 2 cups frozen peas and corn   
• 1 x 400g tin Italian tomatoes, diced or polpa   
• Pinch of sugar  
• 2 cups beef stock  
• 2 x 10cm sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only  
• 1 fresh bay leaf, folded over to release fragrance  
• 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes  
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper    

Method:  
1. Take the meat out of the fridge to warm up a little.  

2. Heat the oil in a large heavy based casserole dish. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes over a med-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the meat and sear till browned on all sides.  

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine and bring to a boil.  

4. Partially cover, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 1.5 hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.  

5. Serve with crispy warm bread or enjoy on its own.       

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