Ingredients
Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
- 1 kg diced beef
- 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 500ml beef / chicken stock
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 500ml of red wine
- 2 carrots peeled & cut into large chunks
- 1 leek cut into large chunks
- 3 sprig of thyme
- 1 table spoon of tomato purée
- 1 dash of sunflower oil
- 2 parsnips
- 4 plums
- 25gr sugar
- 1 tsp 5 spice mix
- 100g of butter
- salt & ground pepper
Method
- Season the diced beef on all sides with salt and ground pepper
- Place a large casserole dish over a medium heat and add the sunflower oil and butter
- Once foaming, add the diced beef and colour for a few minutes on each side until dark brown
- Transfer the beef pieces to a large tray until needed
- Add the sliced onions to the casserole with a little seasoning, then turn the heat down low & cook gently until soft and golden
- Stir in the garlic & bay leaves and cook for a further 5 minutes
- Add the smoked paprika, tomato purée and the red wine and cook for 5 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated
- Add the stock, thyme and bring to the boil
- Add the carrots, leeks and diced venison, ensure it is fully covered
- Cover with a lid or with parchment & tin foil and cook for 2.5 hours at 130 degree Celsius
- While this is cooking, prepare the parsnips by washing them and removing any dirt
- On a flat chopping board, cut those into 4 pieces lengthwise and place them in a roasting tray
- Drizzle with little oil, season with salt & pepper and place 25 gr diced butter
- Cover with parchment paper and tin foil and cook for 35 minutes at 130 degree Celsius
- For the stewed plums, wash the plums and cut in half, remove the stone
- In a medium-size saucepan, add the plums, 25gr diced butter, the 5 spice, a dash of red wine and chopped thyme & cook over medium heat until the plums have softened
- When time is up for the stew, carefully open the lid, being careful of the steam.
- Check the meat is tender, otherwise, return to the oven for another 45 minutes
- Serve in a large bowl with some roasted parsnips and top with stewed plums
Chef's tips:
Colour is flavour - Searing meats before adding it to the stock enhances flavour and texture, it is optional but highly recommended
Low and slow wins - Most dishes taste better when cooked on low setting for 3+ hours rather than high setting for 2 hours. You should only use the higher oven temperature if you're running low on time
