DAUBE OF BEEF WITH SPICED BEETROOT

Daube of beef with spiced beetroot image

Serve Tony Tobin's Christmassy casserole with a really good, creamy mash

Provided by Tony Tobin

Time 2h40m

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

1kg stewing beef steak, cut into 5cm/2in cubes
100g unsmoked streaky bacon , finely chopped
2 carrots , cut into small dice
2 medium onions , cut into small dice
1 small celery stick, cut into small dice
2 garlic cloves , crushed
½ tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
finely grated zest 1 orange
350ml port (half a bottle)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp plain flour
250ml beef stock , made from a cube
500ml red wine
200ml red wine vinegar
140g dark muscovado sugar
½ tsp fennel seed , crushed or ground
1 garlic clove , crushed
2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger , grated
1 red chilli , deseeded and very finely chopped
500g cooked beetroot

Steps:

Put the beef, bacon, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and orange zest into a large shallow bowl. Pour in the port, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.
Meanwhile, for the beetroot, pour the wine into a saucepan, then add the vinegar, sugar, fennel, garlic, ginger and chilli and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Cut the beetroot into wedges and put in a large bowl. Pour the hot wine mixture over the beetroot. Allow to cool, then cover and leave in the fridge to marinate overnight.
Drain the meat and vegetable mixture, reserving the marinating liquid. Separate the meat from the vegetables as best you can and set the vegetables aside. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish or saucepan and fry the beef pieces in batches over a high heat for 3-4 minutes until just browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the reserved vegetable mixture to the casserole and cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Return the beef to the pan with the reserved marinade and the stock and season well. Bring to simmering point, cover and gently cook for 11⁄2 hours until the beef is tender.
Carefully remove all the beef and vegetables from the pan, using a slotted spoon, and set aside. Drain the marinade from the beetroot and add it to the cooking juices in the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and has a coating consistency. Return the meat and vegetables to the sauce, then stir in the beetroot. Heat through for 2-3 minutes and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 634 calories, Fat 18 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 49 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 23 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 40 grams protein, Sodium 1.5 milligram of sodium