Meat Stew

Meat stew: A warm, melt in your mouth, scrumptious stew of tender pieces of meat and vegetables in a rich thick sauce created by slow cooking. Prepare this delicious, comforting stew on those days when you have plenty of time for cooking and don’t mind the wait. Everyone at home will love you for it! Delicious all year round, but particularly on those chilly winter days when you want to indulge in a warm and nourishing stew.

Ingredients:

4-5 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup red cooking wine

1 cup chicken or beef stock

1 kg of lamb shoulder or neck (or any other cut that is suitable for slow cooking), diced

1-2 beef marrow bones (adds a lot of flavour, but is not a must)

2 onions, sliced

1 thin leek, sliced (the white part only)

4 carrots, diced into large cubes

2 potatoes, diced

1 sweet potato, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1 celery root, grated

1 parsley root, grated

4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

4 fresh celery stalks, sliced

2 bay leaves

3 black peppercorns

2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

Salt and black pepper for seasoning (start with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and add more if needed)

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped (add towards the end of cooking)

Instructions:

  1. Over a large burner, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wide pot, large enough to fit all the ingredients including some extra water. Brown the meat in the pot for 4-5 minutes until it is seared on all sides (fry the meat and the bones in two batches). Then remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
  1. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot, fry the sliced onion, leek and grated roots together for 2-3 minutes. Then add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and garlic and fry for another 2-3 minutes.
  1. Return the meat and bones into the pot and add the red wine, stock, olive oil and spices: bay leaves, paprika, peppercorns, salt, pepper and the celery stalks. Stir well and add 2-3 cups of water, or until the liquid just about covers the vegetables and meat.
  1. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let the stew simmer covered for two and a half to three hours (until the meat is tender and melts in the mouth), checking seasoning half way through and adding salt, pepper, paprika or red wine if necessary.
  1. Towards the last 30 minutes of cooking, take the lid off and let the stew simmer uncovered to reduce the sauce until it reaches the desired consistency.

Enjoy your meal!