When snow starts to fall majestically from the sky, you’ll know that the most loved season by many has arrived. The temperature starts to chill like crazy and people would want to either stay at home, hibernate, and drink hot cocoa while relaxing by the firepit, or to go out and get their hidden skiing skills in public. There are a lot of ways to enjoy this great season, and one of those is by cooking dishes that will totally warm not just one’s feeling, but also one’s heart. Once the winter sweaters and coats are out of the closet, soups and stews are now a fair game. We’ll be sharing with you one comforting recipe that will satisfy your freezing taste buds.
The Muffin-topped Winter Beef Stew will only take an hour and a half to make. This duration of time will not only make you anticipate the mouth-watering dish, but will also make you enjoy it since you can do this with your kids! For the stew, we would have to prepare:
- 500g braising steak , cut into bite-sized chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour , seasoned with pepper and a little salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1large onion , finely chopped
- 450g carrot , cut into chunks
- 2large parsnips , cut into chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp sundried or regular tomato paste
- 300ml red wine or extra stock
- 450ml vegetable stock
And for the topping:
- 225g plain flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 140g cheddar , coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 150ml milk
To start, heat the oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Toss the beef in seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Fry the beef over a high heat until browned all over – it’s easiest to do this in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Next, add 2 tbsp water and the onion to the pan, stir well over a medium heat, scraping up the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and fry gently for 10 mins, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened.
Then, tip in the carrots, parsnips and bay leaf, then fry for 2 mins more. Return the beef to the pan, stir in the tomato paste, wine if using, and stock, then bring to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 1¾-2 hrs until the meat is tender. Can be made up to 2 days ahead or frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before topping and baking. Take out of the oven and increase the temperature to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Finally, to make the topping, sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add half the cheese. Mix olive oil and milk, then stir into the flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add more milk, if necessary. Spoon the dough over the meat and vegetables, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for about 15 mins until golden, risen and cooked through.
We hope you get to level up your winter experience with this dish. Remember to get cozy!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
