Best ever Hearty beef stew

1 brown onion

2 medium parsnips

½ kg Pumpkin

1 handful of Jerusalem artichokes (optional)

a few sprigs of fresh sage or rosemary

olive oil

1 knob of unsalted butter

4 – 6 carrots

800 g stewing steak cut into 5cm pieces

plain flour

500 g diced potatoes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

½ a bottle of your favourite red wine

285 ml organic beef or vegetable stock

1 lemon

a few sprigs of fresh parsley

1 clove of garlic

Preheat your oven to 160ºC
Peel and roughly chop the onion, peel and quarter the parsnips and peel and halve the carrots. Deseed and roughly dice the pumpkin. Pick the sage or rosemary leaves.

Heat a little oil and the butter in a casserole pan on a medium heat, add the onion and herbs, then fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the meat in a little seasoned flour, then add it to the pan with all the vegetables, the tomato purée, wine and stock, then gently stir together. Season generously with black pepper and just a little sea salt.

Bring to the boil, place a lid on top, then place in the oven until the meat is tender – sometimes this takes a few hours, it depends on what cut of meat you’re using and how fresh it is. The only way to test is to mash up a piece of meat and if it falls apart easily it’s ready. Once cooked, turn the oven down to about 110°C and just hold it there until you’re ready to eat.

The best way to serve this is by ladling big spoonful’s into bowls, accompanied by a glass of lovely red wine and some really fresh, warmed sourdough bread.

Finely grate the lemon zest, pick and finely chop the parsley and peel and finely chop the garlic, then mix together and sprinkle over the stew before serving. Just the smallest amount will make a world of difference – as soon as it hits the hot stew it will release an amazing fragrance.

Thanks to Jamie Oliver for this recipe – it’s his lovely wife Jool’s favourite beef stew. Happy eating!