Recipes

Preperation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: Approximately 1½-2 hours, plus optional marinating

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb lean braising or topside steak, cubed
• 2 small onions, peeled and sliced 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp oil
• 5ml/1tsp fennel seeds
• 50g/2oz dried apricots, chopped
• 30ml/2tbsp plain flour
• 5ml/1tsp ground coriander
• 50ml/2floz orange juice
• 15ml/1tbsp tomato puree, optional
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
• 800ml/1½pint beef stock
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
• 100ml/3½floz red wine and 30ml/2tbsp red wine vinegar
• 175g/6oz button mushrooms

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C,350-375°F
2. In a large bowl mix together the beef, fennel seeds, coriander, thyme, garlic, onions, carrots, apricots, orange juice, celery, red wine, red wine vinegar and seasoning.
3. Cover the marinade and if possible leave in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
4. Drain the marinade mixture and reserve. Heat the oil in a medium-sized casserole or ovenproof dish and brown the meat with the vegetables in batches. Stir in the flour, reserved marinade, tomato puree, beef stock, and bring to the boil. Add the button mushrooms, halved, if preferred.
5. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1½-2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is tender.
6. Serve with herb mash and spring greens.