Braised Beef in Red Wine with Roast Garlic Mash

Recipe

A classic winter warmer as the cold fronts move in…

Takes 2.5hrs
Serves 6

Ingredients:

750g braising beef, cut in to chunks
2 tbsp flour, seasoned oil
200g baby onions or small shallots, peeled
4 carrots, cut in to chunks
a few sprigs of thyme
half a bottle of red wine
500ml beef stock
250g button mushrooms
600g Parsnips (optional)
For the roast garlic mash 4 cloves garlic, skin on
1kg Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut in to similar sized chunks
100g butter
4tbsp milk

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 160C /gas mark 3.
2. Toss the beef with the seasoned flour.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large casserole dish and brown the beef pieces all over. Do this in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan as the meat won’t brown properly.
4. Scoop out when browned and then add the baby onions or shallots and brown for a few minutes (add a bit more oil if you need to).
5. Scoop out and do the same to the carrots.
6. Add the onions, beef and any juices back to the casserole with the carrots then put in the thyme sprigs, wine and stock and bring to a simmer.
7. Put on a lid, transfer to the oven and cook for 1 hour.
8. Add the mushrooms, cover again and cook for another 60 – 90 mins until the beef is very tender and the sauce has reduced.
9. Make the garlic mash while the beef is cooking.
10. Wrap the garlic cloves loosely in some foil and put in the oven for 30 minutes until soft.
11. Boil the potatoes until tender and drain really well.
12. Heat the butter and milk together in the empty spud pan then tip in the potatoes.
13. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and add to the pan.
14. Mash everything together and season really well (add a bit more milk if you like a sloppier mash).
15. Serve the beef with the mash and some greenveg.
16. Serving suggestion: Why not garnish with lightly fried parsnip and carrot crisps.