from Marsh Mash Spring 2015

(serves 4)

For this issue of Marsh Mash I have decided to do a slow cooker recipe as I know of a growing number of folks who use them. The food can be cooking whilst you are out and ready when you get home. It took me years to get mine and now I would not be without it. Anyway, my recipe is below:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable, sunflower or olive oil
• 1lb 8oz (750g) braising steak or casserole beef (surplus fat trimmed), cubed
• 2 x medium onions, roughly chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed (or use dried garlic granules to taste – I used 1 teaspoon)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 500ml bottle of Theakston’s Old Peculiar beer (or any dark, not too bitter, flavoursome beer)
• 7 fluid ounces (200ml) beef stock (I used stock cubes & water)
• 3 tablespoons tomato puree
• 2 level tablespoons dried mixed herbs (or a handful of fresh if you prefer)
• 2 large carrots cut in to chunks – about 10oz (285g) total in weight when prepared
• 1 teaspoon Demerara sugar (honest - this is needed to avoid bitterness)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 dried bay leaves (or 3 fresh if you prefer)

Method:

(If desired, you may wish to pour yourself a beer of your choice to drink whilst preparing this as you will need the whole 500ml bottle above for this recipe.) If necessary, pre-heat your slow cooker as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the meat and fry until just brown. Add the onions and continue frying for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Remove pan from the heat.
2. Add the garlic and flour then stir to combine. Gradually pour in the beer, then the stock, stirring all the time. Add tomato puree, herbs, carrots, sugar and stir. If necessary, add salt and pepper to personal taste.
3. Return pan to the heat and gradually bring to the boil, stirring all the time to avoid contents sticking. Once boiling carefully transfer contents of the pan in to the slow cooker. Add bay leaves, cover with lid and cook on LOW for 6 hours. The taste will intensify during cooking and your kitchen will be filled with a lovely smell of casserole.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes and green vegetables, plus a full bodied, flavoursome beer of your choice and enjoy.

NOTE:
DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO LIFT THE LID DURING COOKING AS THE COOKING TIME WILL INCREASE BY 30 MINUTES EACH TIME IT IS LIFTED.

Why not try this:
To make a one-pot hearty meal add some baby new potatoes and a selection of root vegetables to the slow cooker pot before cooking, then continue as above.

Shirley Johnson

AFRM Branch Member