Beef stew

• celery sticks↗2

  thickly sliced

• onion↗1

  chopped

• carrots↗2 really big

  halved lengthways then very chunkily sliced

• bay leaves↗5
• thyme sprigs↗2

  1 whole and 1 leaves picked

• vegetable oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• butter↗1 tbsp tbsp
• plain flour↗2 tbsp tbsp
• tomato purée↗2 tbsp tbsp
• Worcestershire sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• beef stock cubes↗2

  crumbled

• stewing beef↗850g g

  (featherblade or brisket works nicely), cut into nice large chunks

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and put the kettle on.

2. 2

   Put 2 thickly sliced celery sticks, 1 chopped onion, 2 chunkily sliced carrots, 5 bay leaves and 1 whole thyme sprig in a flameproof casserole dish with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp butter.

3. 3

   Soften for 10 mins, then stir in 2 tbsp plain flour until it doesn’t look dusty anymore, followed by 2 tbsp tomato purée, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 crumbled beef stock cubes.

4. 4

   Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in 850g stewing beef and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Cover and put in the oven for 2hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for 30mins – 1hr more until the meat is really tender and the sauce is thickened.

6. 6

   Garnish with the picked leaves of the remaining thyme sprig.