Italian beef stew recipe from the inclusive world of Dame Fandango

meat and fish | Italian beef stew

Serves 4

This is absolutely gorgeous. It took me 3 years to prize the recipe from Ced, a little bit at a time. And I am still not sure I've worked out all of it yet! I think the thing which makes it really special is the addition of the secret tomato sauce (in a similar way that Indian 'gravy' is added to dishes) but it will still be a beautiful stew without it.

Wheat free, dairy free, nut free version...

Ingredients...

Large onion cut into chunky slices
5 cloves garlic
2 twigs of rosemary
2 bay leaves
Few sprigs of marjoram
1½lb (675g) beef cubed
3 carrots
2 baking potato sized potatoes
2 parsnips
2 tsp tomato paste
1½ pints (900ml) beef stock or water with 1-2 tsp beef concentrate stock (be careful some have milk extract in)
7½ fl oz (200ml) red wine
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp wheat free flour
2 tbsp oil
½ swede, chopped into small cubes

Optional:

Secret ingredient - if you have some, 2-3 tbsp Scarlett's secret tomato sauce.

Method...

Seal beef in oil until all water from the meat has gone and meat has browned.
Add the onions, a little salt, and garlic and cook until lightly browned.
Add rosemary and marjoram for a few minutes, then flour for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and wine and mix well.
Add the water and beef stock and cook on medium heat for 40 minutes. Add more water if it becomes too thick.
Add carrots and potatoes and cook for another hour.
Add swede and parsnips for 10-15 minutes.
Add sugar and season with salt and pepper, then cook for 5-10 minutes and serve.

Maybe serve with...

Any type of potatoes or rice and vegetables or just on it's own with wheat-free bread. Better wheat free breads are now appearing. I've used toasted mushroom and chesnut brown bread with this, as well as baguettes and rolls which you can bake. The only problem with wheat-free bread is that it's still usually better toasted or heated.

For those able to eat fish ...

You can use the usual Worcestershire sauce instead of vegan version which does not contain anchovies.

For those able to eat wheat...

There's a vast array of rustic breads which you can use with this

For those able to eat dairy...

Make a rich mashed potato or duchesse potatoes.

If you have swede leftover, see the bean chilli. If you have beef leftover, see the flat roof cottage pie. If you have carrots, parsnips, onion and swede leftover, see Nanny Dots' cawl.

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