If there is too much for one meal, you can freeze the rest
and enjoy another lovely meal
when you do not have the time to cook. The same recipe can also be used with
game.
Ingredients (for 4-6 people)
Approx 7/800g Highland Beef Stewing Steak, Plate (cut into chunks) or Best casserole
cubes
3-400ml red wine
Wine glass of brandy
450 ml beef stock (cube will do)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
225g bacon rashers or streaky bacon, cut into strips
2 onions, thinly sliced or 20 small onions
1 bouquet garni (thyme, 3-4 bay leaves, parsley)
2-3 carrots, sliced
1 tbsp tomato puree
50g Beurre manié (25g butter, softened/ 25g flour)
Mushrooms (fresh or dried)
5 juniper berries, crushed (optional)
150g dried cranberries (optional)
Preparation
Into a large fireproof casserole, pour the oil, heat and quickly brown the bacon.
Remove bacon (and fat juice) and brown the beef chunks (in 2 or 3 different
batches – use another frying pan if necessary) over a very high heat.
Return all the beef and bacon to the pan, put the lid on, reduce the heat and
cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not stick.
Remove the lid, pour in the brandy and ignite it. Be prepared to leap backwards!
Shake the casserole until all the alcohol has been burnt off (about 5 min).
Then pour in the wine, plus enough stock to cover the meat. Add the carrots,
the bouquet garni, the juniper berries and the tomato purée. Season and
stir well. Cover and cook gently for 30 minutes (2 hours if using plate).
While the casserole is cooking: put 50g of butter into a medium-sized pan and
brown the onions.
To make the beurre manié: mix together the soft butter and the flour
by hand until it looks crumbly.
After 30 minutes of cooking the stew (2 hours if using plate), add the onions,
the mushrooms and the cranberries. Simmer gently for about 35 minutes. Remove
the big pieces of the bouquet garni. Draw the casserole off the heat and whisk
in the beurre manié.
Simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
