Beef, olive and cherry tomato stew

Yields6 Servings
Prep Time15 minsCook Time2 hrsTotal Time2 hrs 15 mins
 1 kg stewing beef (blade steak, fat removed)
 1 tsp sea salt
 ½ tsp ground black pepper
 1 tsp plain flour
 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 1 onion, brown - diced
 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
 1 celery stick, finely sliced
 1 carrot, large, finely sliced
 800 g tinned cherry tomatoes
 1 cup beef stock
 ½ cup red lentils
 3 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
 1 tsp chilli flakes
 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
 salt and pepper
 1 kg Optional - baby red potatoes
To serve
 Streamed green beans or mash potato
1

Cut your meat into cut into 3 ½ cm cubes (not too big, or they won't fit in your mouth)

2

Pat the cubed meat dry with paper towels. This helps the meat to form a nice brown crust when seared.

3

Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and plain flour.

4

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, over high heat, in a large, heavy-based casserole dish or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

5

Add 1/3 of the beef to the pan. Brown the meat for several minutes on all sides.

6

Remove the meat into a bowl and set it aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil if necessary.

7

Turn the heat down to low. Add a little extra oil if necessary.

8

Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic, celery and carrot and cook a further minute and stir again to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn.

9

Return the cooked beef, including any juices, to the pan.

10

Add the tomatoes, beef stock, rosemary and chilli flakes (if using). Stir well.

11

Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours or until the meat is tender and comes apart easily when cut with a knife. Stir occasionally.

12

If adding potatoes, cook 20minutes before the meat dish is ready. Cut potatoes into quarters, leave the skin on boil potatoes in a saucepan for 15 minutes or until you can poke easily with a fork. Drain, return to the pan and mash coarsely with a potato masher adding olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

13

Just before serving add the olives and 2 tablespoons of parsley to the meat dish.

14

Check the seasoning, adding additional salt, pepper or chilli flakes to taste.

15

To serve place potato on the bottom of bowls and top with meat or serve family-style, at the table in the pan in the which it was cooked.

16

Add some extra parsley just before serving.

17

Serve with steamed green beans or your mashed potato.

GF, DF and LF