Beef Casserole Reciepe

I had a few requests on how I made the beef casserole so here it goes!

Ingredients

·        500 grams of diced beef or lamb.

·        200ml beef stock (mix the stock with 200ml of water, that's what I did, but you can make your own stock if you want to)

·        100 grams of carrots, chopped into thick chunks

·        100 grams of sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into thick chunks

·        6 cloves of garlic, peeled, and either minced or grated

·        3 onions, peeled and chopped

·        100 grams of tomato puree

·        6 table spoons of oil (ideally vegetable oil)

·        2 handfuls of coriander, chopped into small pieces.

Method

·        Fry the beef with the garlic, and onion. Allow it to brown for 3 minutes, do not allow the beef to produce a brown stain on the pot during the cooking process.

·        Add the tomato puree, and stir continuously

·        Then add the stock, and continue to stir the mixture

·        Turn the heat down to gas mark 3, or about 150 degrees

·        Cover the pot, and leave to simmer for 25 minutes.

·        During this time the casserole will start to become a bit thicker, however the beef will have not cooked all the way through, so we have to add more water if necessary to increase the cooking time. Add 2 glasses of water to the pot if needed.   

·        Cover the pot again, and leave for another 25 minutes.

·        Add another 2 glasses of water if needed, but check the casserole first.

·        Then add the carrots, and the sweet potatoes.

·        Cover, and leave for another 20 minutes,

·        Check the casserole, paying particular attention to the carrots, sweet potatoes, and the beef. The beef should be very tender, as well as the sweet potatoes, and the carrots.  

·        Add the coriander, stir and leave for 5 minutes.

Notes

·        The cost to prepare this meal was around £7, however I got four meals out of the big pot of casserole that was made.

·        This meal contributes to 2 of your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, because of the carrots, and the tomatoes in the meal. For more information on five a day, have a read on this article: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY/Pages/Why5ADAY.aspx

·        For vegetarians I would suggest adding in more vegetables, for example aubergines, sweetcorn, kidney beans, mushrooms to name but a few. This would definitely increase to 3 portions of the five a day.

·        If you are not intending to eat it all, you can always freeze it. Don't forget that it can be kept in the freezer for up to three months. Make sure the casserole has cooled down first.