Its winter – I’m freezing and its dark outside when I get home.  Its times like this that I want something substantial  that doesn’t require loads of effort. For me this equals mash and an obvious partner to that is a stew of some kind.

Now I grew up hating stews. My mum doesn’t like them so every time I had one it was either badly made (sorry mum) or at school. What I do remember however is that awful, often insipid or chewy taste which I then associated with all stews.  Which is why, when I met my husband, who adore’s stews, I set about to create one even I would love.

My Boozy beef was born.  Just by not calling it a stew made me feel much better about it, but its the mix of herbs and smoked paprika which gives this a real depth of flavour that I’ve not had before. It also has the advantage of being just as good when reheated so can be made in advance (or God forbid there are any leftovers) frozen – a win win for me

I use my le crueset to make this, usually in the oven but this time on the hob, but it can just as easily be made in a slow cooker if you have one.

My Boozy Beef

Ingredients
500g pack of braising steak
1tbs flour
1tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Garlic (either squeeze from a tube or 2 cloves crushed)
1 red onion
2 sticks celery
1 large carrot
1/2 bottle red wine
Pint stock (I use water and 3 oxo)
2 bay leaves
Sprig each rosemary and thyme
Handful of Frozen chargrilled veggies
Sprinkle of dried parsley

Method
Toss the beef in the flour paprika salt and pepper
Brown in a casserole pan and then set aside
Chop onion, celery and carrots into rough dice and then add to the pan with the oil and garlic
Sweat veggies till soft then add in wine, to deglaze the pan, then stock, beef and herbs
Bring to simmer and add in frozen veggies
Cover with lid and whack on a very low heat for min 2.5 hours (if making roasties to go with this cook them 2 hours in)
Uncover, throw in some dried parsley and return to hob for 20 mins while you cook your veggies
Season to taste

Serve in a bowl with mash and green veggies if you are feeling virtuous. Alternately with small cut roasties , broccoli and carrot & swede mash for a divine Sunday dinner.