This is a recipe for which I have no amounts: it's a continuously evolving dish which changes every time I make it. It's so very easy: some chopping, then leave it for a couple of hours, the meat and vegetables melding with the dark spicy liquid, thickening into a delicious unctuous mass.
For two of us, these are approximate amounts. Where I say 'chopped into cubes' I mean a rough approximation - mine are normally rhomboid.
Begin by heating the oven to around 300°F/150°C/gas mark 2.
An onion, peeled and cut into thinnish wedges (or 6 or so baby onion, whole but peeled)
A carrot, peeled and chopped diagonally into chunky discs
A lump of swede, celeriac or a couple of peeled parsnips, woody cores removed, chopped into cubes (optional)
Sometimes - a stick of celery, stringy bits peeled off, then finely chopped
A few stalks of fresh thyme (or a teaspoon or two of dried)
A couple of bayleaves
(Sometimes - a few (3 - 6) juniper berries, lightly crushed)
A plastic bag with a thick layer of flour, perked up with a good grinding of pepper, some salt and a couple of teaspoons of mustard powder
A bottle of the Orkney Brewery's Dark Island Ale (or similar, though inferior, dark ale)
Per person - a good handful of roughly chopped beef (shoulder is good)
Place your meat into the flour-filled bag, and shake it about until the meat is well coated with the seasoned flour. Then add the vegetables, making sure they're all flour-ified. Arrange this all in your casserole dish along with any herbs etc you've decided to use. Pour over the Dark Island, stir a bit & whiz in the oven. Leave for as long as you can - 3 hours is good. Check near the end and perhaps add a bit of water. Casseroles like this are never the same twice, so it may take 4 hours one time, and 2 ½ the next. When you judge it ready, season and try to fish out the bay leaves. Warn your dining companion of the berries and potential for undiscovered leaves.
|
