ELLY McCAUSLAND concocts a wonderful winter warmer

I love rich stews that you can put in the oven for hours. It means you can head off for a lovely winter walk and return to the incredible smell of baking meat and gravy, a warming aroma that promises the heartiest of lunches or dinners. Everyone loves a good beef and ale stew, and I’ve worked on and perfected this recipe over several years, to the point where I think it really does deserve the title ‘ultimate’. It’s all about keeping the texture of the vegetables rather than letting them go mushy and disintegrate into the gravy: sweet baby carrots retain their shape and look lovely, button mushrooms stay pleasantly bouncy, and whole shallots melt in the mouth after a spell in the oven. Add gloriously tender beef and rich gravy that’s begging to be soaked up with buttery mash, and you have the ultimate winter feast.

Ultimate beef and ale stew

(serves 4-6):

700g stewing beef, in large chunks

3-4 tbsp flour

Salt and pepper

Flavourless oil, for frying

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 sticks celery, thinly sliced

200g button mushrooms

10 whole shallots, peeled

200g baby carrots

500ml strong ale

400ml beef stock

1 tbsp tomato puree

A few sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

2 tsp Worcester sauce

First, season the flour and toss the beef in it to coat. Pre-heat the oven to 150C. Heat a little oil in a large, lidded casserole and brown the beef in batches on a high heat. Remove and set aside, turn the heat down, then fry the onions and celery until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for a couple more minutes. Return the beef to the pan with the shallots and carrots, turn the heat up high, then add the ale and stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan well to release all the lovely burnt-on bits, then add the tomato puree, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil, cover, then put in the oven for three hours. After three hours, add the Worcester sauce, check the seasoning, and serve with mash and greens.

For more recipes read Elly's blog: nutmegsseven.co.uk