We’ve enjoyed more hearty dinners since the cooler weather arrived. Once you have gathered the ingredients, chopped them, and added them to the pot, you can leave the kitchen and let the heat and time do their magic. The addition of gremolata will give the dish a fresh and vibrant look.
Ingredients
- 1 kg chuck steak cut into 3cm cubes
- 1/4 cup of flour
- salt & pepper
- Oil or ghee is used for sautéing
- Remove the rind from 2 full rashers of bacon and slice into 1 cm wide strips.
- Two leeks, washed and sliced.
- Two crushed cloves of garlic
- Four sprigs of thyme
- Six medium-sized mushrooms sliced
- Two carrots diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Red wine: 2 cups (500ml).
- Two cups of beef stock (500ml).
- 2 Bay Leaves
Gremolata
- Finely chop one large handful of parsley.
- One small clove of garlic crushed.
- Lemon zest
Instructions
-
- Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper generously, then cover with flour.
- Add a generous amount of oil to the bottom of a heavy-based casserole and heat it on low-medium. Once the pan has reached the desired temperature, add the beef in batches and cook until well browned. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- If needed, add a little extra oil or ghee, and then add the bacon. Add the leeks, the garlic, the thyme, and the mushrooms and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are softening.
- Bring the red wine and beef back to a boil in the pan. Allow the alcohol to cook for a few minutes on a low heat. Add the tomato paste and bay leaves. Bring the sauce to a simmer, cover the pot, and let it simmer for two hours until the meat is tender. Remove the lid, and continue to cook for 30-40 more minutes until the juices are reduced and thickened.
- In the meantime, combine the ingredients for the gremolata in a large bowl. Sprinkle the gremolata over the casserole right before serving.
- Serve with a steamed green salad that has been drizzled with olive and salt oil and is seasoned with risoni or mashed potatoes.