WINTER BEEF CASSEROLE 

Serves 4 – 6 

This is a good dish for entertaining, as it needs very little attention.  It can be made in advance, but make sure you bring it to the boil before putting into the oven 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 kg ( 2lb) chuck, braising or shin steak, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm (1 in) cubes
• 3 streaky bacon rashers, rinds removed, cut into strips
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 45g (1 ½ oz) plain flour
• 500g (1 lb) passata
• 450ml (3/4 pint) beef stock
• 150ml (1/4 pint) red wine
• 6 celery stalks, sliced
• 250g (8oz) carrots, cut into thin strips
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp chopped fresh marjoram ( dried may be used if fresh not available)
• salt and black pepper
• chopped parsley to garnish

Method

1.	Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the beef and bacon, and, cook over  a moderate to high heat for 2-3 minutes, until browned all over.  Using a slotted spoon, lift out and drain on paper towels.
2.	Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until soft but not coloured.
3.	Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add the passata, stock, and red wine and bring to a boil, stirring until smooth and thickened.  Return the meat to the casserole, add the celery, carrots, garlic, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring back to a boil.
4.	Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 160c (325 F, Gas 3) for 2 hours or until the beef is tender.  Taste for seasoning and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

TERIYAKI BEEF 

Serves 4

This is a quick and easy mid week meal, or when you are entertaining for a weekend.

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) rump steak, trimmed and cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to garnish 

Marinade

• 125ml (4 fl oz) dark soy sauce
• 90ml (3 fl oz) Japanese rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp caster sugar   

Method

1.	Make the marinade: in a bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine (or sherry), and sugar.  Toss the steak strips in the marinade, cover, and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
2.	Remove the steak strips from the marinade, reserving the marinade.  Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok, add the onion and red pepper, and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Heat the remaining oil, and stir-fry the steak strips for 5 minutes or until just cooked through.
3.	Return the onion and red pepper to the wok with the marinade and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.  Garnish with the spring onions before serving.

BEEF POT ROAST

WITH LOCAL VEGETABLES

Serves 6

This is an extremely tasty and tender way of cooking a joint of beef, which gives you plenty of time to prepare the traditional Yorkshire puddings and all the trimmings.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.15 kg (2 ½ lb) Beef topside, brisket or silverside
• 2 onions, quartered
• 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
• 2 large carrots, thickly sliced
• 150ml (1/4 pint) white wine
• 600 ml (1 pint) beef stock
• a few parsley sprigs
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs (dried mixed herbs may be used if not available)
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and black pepper

Method

1.	Heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole.  Add the beef and cook, turning, for about 10 minutes until browned all over.
2.	Lift the beef out of the casserole and put in the onions, celery and carrots.  Stir well to coat vegetables in the oil, then cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
3.	Place the meat into the middle of the casserole, moving the vegetables around the sides of the meat.
4.	Add the wine, stock, parsley, thyme (dried mixed herbs if using), bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to the boil, then cover tightly, and cook in a preheated oven at 150c (300F, Gas 2) for 2 ½ - 3 hours until the meat is tender.
5.	Transfer the meat and vegetables to a warmed platter, cover, and keep warm.
6.	Spoon the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, then boil over a high heat until the liquid is reduced by half.  Taste for seasoning, and strain into a warmed gravy boat.  Carve the meat into thin slices and serve.

TONYS' JAPANESE STEAK MARINADE 

(Not that our delicious Steaks require marinading !!!!)

This recipe was given by a relation of Simons - we had them at his BBQ last year and they were gorgeous! Coincidentally his daughter is married to a Japanese chap and they have just gone out to Japan for 5 years - mainly so that their two little girls start
school in Japan and learn to read and write Japanese.

Equal parts of :-

Sake

Rice Wine Vinegar

Olive Oil

Water

 

plus :-

Salt and Pepper

Garlic and/or other herbs to taste

Marinade steaks overnight and BBQ or fry.