• Choose the correct cut of meat, chuck is ideal.
• Brown only half the meat for flavour, the other half is left un-browned to promote tenderness and to absorb the fried onion flavour.
• Cook in the oven covered with a well fitting lid at a very low temperature for 2 ½ – 3 hours.
Beef Flavour Stock Powder, Garlic Pepper Seasoning, Green Onion Seasoning, Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
You will need
800 g – 1 kg beef chuck, brisket or short rib cut into large cubes
3 T (45 ml) flour
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman’s Beef Flavour Stock Powder
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman’s Garlic Pepper Seasoning
1 T (15 ml) butter
olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
Ina Paarman’s Green Onion Seasoning
3 T (45 ml) Ina Paarman’s Sun-dried Tomato Pesto
2 cups (500 ml) boiling water
2 – 3 bay leaves
olive oil
500 g baby onions, peeled
3 T (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 t (10 ml) sugar
2 – 3 potatoes, cut into small 1 cm x 1 cm cubes
½ cup (125 ml) parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 T (15 ml) zested lemon rind
The saucepan you use makes a difference. A good cast iron casserole one with a tight fitting lid is ideal.
Method
Measure the flour, Beef Flavour Stock Powder and Garlic Pepper Seasoning into a plastic bag. Shake to mix. Add cubed beef and shake again to coat the meat really well.
Add the butter and 2 T oil to a heavy based saucepan and brown only half of the meat. The other half is not browned.
Spoon the browned meat onto a plate, add a little more oil to the pot and brown the onions, pre-seasoned with ½ t (2,5 ml) Green Onion Seasoning. Add the un-browned meat and any leftover flour to the onions and stir it through.
Add Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and the reserved browned meat and any juices that might have leaked out. Add boiling water and bay leaves. Bring to a very gentle boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid.
Adjust oven rack to one slot below the middle and preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the saucepan in the oven and cook for 2 ½ hours until meat is very tender or cook in a slow cooker on low for ± 6 – 7 hours.
In a separate pan, brown the baby onions in a little olive oil, deglaze with balsamic vinegar and add sugar and Green Onion Seasoning to taste.
Remove the stew from the oven after 2 ½ hours and stir through the cubed potatoes and baby onions and all the balsamic glaze. Cover and cook for a final 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves.
Gremolata
Mix all ingredients together and sprinkle over the stew just before serving.
Variations
Curry
To the pre-cooked basic stew add: ½ bunch of finely sliced spinach, 1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman’s Tikka Curry Coat & Cook Sauce and ½ cup (125 ml) coconut milk or cream. Cook for 5 minutes until spinach is wilted. Add 2 T (30 ml) of our Coriander Pesto. Taste for seasoning.
Peri-peri
Add 1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman’s Peri-Peri Coat & Cook Sauce to the pre-cooked basic stew. Add a few spoonfuls of plain yoghurt or fresh cream if too hot. Top with Gremolata.
Mushroom
Sauté 1 punnet of sliced mushrooms in 2 T of butter and season lightly with Ina Paarman’s Garlic Pepper Seasoning. Add to the pre-cooked basic stew. To serve, top the dish with a handful of rocket leaves.
