Hearty Beef Stew

This is a lovely stew and a meal in itself. Use whatever meat you want or even omit the meat and make it a vegetable stew. Just start with frying the onions.


Serves 2 -3 people
200 gms beef cut into cubes (1 use one steak and cut it up)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
6-7 mushrooms sliced (I use white button)
1 cup peas
2 medium or 1 large potato cubed
1 tsp garlic paste or 2-3 cloves garlic chopped fined
1-1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 sprig rosemary leaves stripped and chopped
a handful of parsely chopped
3/4 cups cream
1 tsp cornflour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsps oil (i use olive but you can use any cooking oil)


1. Heat oil in a pan. Dry the beef and brown it. (the beef must be dry or it won't brown properly). Take the browned beef out and keep aside.
2. Tip in the onions and fry till it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rosemary and stir.
3. Add the carrots and potato and fry for a 2-3 mins. Add mushroom and bell pepper and stir. Cook for another 3 mins  on medium heat.
4. Add beef and mix. Then add stock  (enough to cover the meat and veg) and cover pan. Let it simmer for about 10 mins. Check after about 7 mins to make sure it is not catching at the bottom of the pan.
5. Add peas, check if the meat is cooked by piercing through with a fork. If it pierces easily it is cooked.
6. Dissolve cornflour in a little water/stock and pour into the pan. Mix well.
7. Add the cream and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the stew come to a gentle boil. Add the chopped parsley reserving some to garnish.
8. If the liquid seems to be too thick, add a bit more stock and boil.
9. Serve hot with bread or rice and garnished with the remaining parsley.


I had it with Zopf and it was divine!