Dorset-based chef Suze Morrison has put together a selection of winter recipes for the Watercress Company. Check out this tasty and comforting beef dish and create something with a real taste of Dorset by sourcing your ingredients locally.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1kg braising steak, with some fat, cut into large pieces
2 onions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
200g button mushrooms, whole
50g watercress
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp tomato puree
500ml red wine
500ml rich beef stock
4 bay leaves
10g parsley stalks
3 sprigs Thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
This is best made the day before you want to serve to allow the flavours to develop. Make sure those flavours give you a true taste of Dorset, you can pick up your meat from one of these producers, your watercress from the Watercress Company and your red wine from one of our local wineries. The other ingredients can be easily found in the region’s local shops and delis.
Method:
- Preheat oven 115C.
- Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium high heat. Mix the flour with a little salt and use to coat the beef.
- Brown the beef in 4 batches on all sides, waiting until the meat releases itself from the pan with ease. Do not overcrowd the pan or else the meat with steam instead of caramelising.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate to rest.
- In the same pan, add the onions and a small splash of water. Scrape the base of the pan to release the crusted pieces and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and sweat the onions for 10 minutes or until soft, translucent and sweet.
- Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes more or until the mushrooms begin to caramelise and lose their moisture.
- Add the tomato puree and cook out, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the meat back to the pan and pour in the wine. Increase the heat and bubble for 3-4 minutes or until reduced by 1/3.
- Add the stock and tie the bay, parsley & thyme in a bundle with string. Add this to the pan along with the watercress.
- Cover with a lid and pop into the oven for 3 hours.
- Check the meat, it should easy yield to a blunt fork. When done, remove and allow to cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, bring the stew back to room temperature before heating in a low oven until hot through. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as the flavours will be more mature by now.
- Serve with pillows of mash and green vegetables.
