beef bourguignon

 a comforting hearty stew for those winter evenings

For 4

• plain flour
• 500g braising steak
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 65g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot *
• ½ parsnip *
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 20cl red wine
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube
• fresh or dried thyme
• 12 pearl onions (or shallots or half an onion in chunks)
• 100g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• salt and pepper
• sprigs of fresh parsley, to garnish

Serve with roast or mashed potatoes

*You could reduce the amount of meat and increase the amount of veg

Based on a Hairy Bikers recipe

Oven at 160C.

1. Cut the braising steak into chunky pieces, each around. Trim off any really hard fat or sinew.

2. Coat the chunks in well seasoned flour.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the beef in batches over a medium–high heat until nicely browned on all sides, turning every now and then and adding more oil if necessary. As soon as the beef is browned, transfer to a large flameproof casserole.

4. Pour a little more oil into the pan in which the beef was browned and fry the bacon for 2–3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns. Scatter the bacon over the meat.

5. Add a touch more oil to the frying pan and fry the chopped onion over a low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring often until softened. Stir the garlic into the pan and cook for 1 minute more.

6. Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the meat and pour over the wine. Stir in the tomato purée and 100ml water. Crumble over the stock cube, add the herbs and bring to a simmer. Stir well, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ –1¾ hours, or until the beef is almost completely tender. Check and add more water if the sauce is starting to thicken.

7. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms, bring back to simmer then return to the oven for 45 minutes more, or until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce is thick. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.

8. Sprinkle the casserole with parsley and serve.

mince pies

This recipe makes the most luscious deep mince pies for Christmas or any time. The mincemeat is based on Delia Smith's recipe but with a little less sugar and some possible variations on fruit: it's important to soak the dried fruit before using it. I use John Waite's sweet short pastry which is delightfully biscuity when cooked.

 

 

Equipment: You will need a pie dish with 12 holes: mine are about 70mm diameter x 25mm deep.

For 12 mince pies

Mincemeat

2 cups hot ginger and lemongrass (or similar) tea

600g fruit (before soaking – see method)

• I use a mix of currants and sultanas with about 50-100g of dried cranberries which gives a little tartness. Or you could substitute 200g cooking apples, finely chopped

65g 'suet'

• Vegetarian suet substitutes work fine

75g soft dark brown sugar

grated rind and juice of a satsuma or small orange

• I use a coarse grater so most of the thickness of the skin goes in

25g sliced almonds

1 to 2 tsp mixed spice

• can be a mix of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg

2 tbs marsala or brandy (optional)

Take the dried fruits including cranberries but not the apple, if used, and steep in the tea for at least 20 minutes. This plumps up the fruit.

Drain the fruit then mix together with all the other ingredients in a big bowl.

Leave covered with a cloth for 12 hours.

Cook in a very cool oven (120C) for three hours. This allows the suet to slowly melt and infuse the mixture.

The mincemeat can then be used as soon as it has cooled to room temperature, or put into sterilised jars while still hot, until needed.

Rich sweet shortcrust pastry

1 egg

125g golden caster sugar

1 tsp almond essence

250g plain flour

125g salted butter at room temperature, cut into cubes

• Yellow Flora works fine for a vegan alternative

Whisk together the egg, sugar and essance with a balloon whisk until the sugar is dissolved

Sift the flour bit by bit into the mixture and stir in with a wooden spoon until the mixture has a sandy texture. Scrape all round the bottom of the bowl to make sure thoroughly incorporated.

Add the butter, using a butter knife to cut in. Work quickly until smooth and no butter visible.

Knead gently by hand for a few seconds on a floured board.

Wrap in baking paper and chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before using.

The mince pies

Egg wash (an egg yoke combined with a little water)

Oven at 200C.

Grease the pie dish.

Roll out half the pastry very thin – about 3mm – then use a pastry cutter to make rounds a bit bigger than each hole. Line each with the pastry patting it in so that there are no air voids underneath.

• This pastry is very forgiving and can be easily patched, and the offcuts can be rolled up and used again. Best to put the other half back in the fridge until needed. It's best to work quickly while the pastry is still cold and best to roll it on a marble slab or other cold surface, dusted with flour.

Fill up the cases with the mincemeat using a dessertspoon, so the filling is domed in the middle with a little of the pastry exposed at the sides.

Brush the edges of the pastry with the eggwash and cut out more rounds, this time the size of the holes (use a fluted cutter if you have it),

Push the rounds down so they adhere to the pastry base.

Prick each top with a fork to allow steam to escape and brush with more of the egg wash.

Place the pie dish in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes: they should be a light brown colour.

Allow the tray to cool for a few minutes. The pies should come out easily. Place them on a wire tray to cool.