Name: Beef and ale stew with parsnips
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1kg shin of beef, cubed; 2 tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 stick celery, finely chopped; 500g parsnips, chunkily diced; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tbsp tomato purée; 2 bay leaves; 500ml bottle ale; 750ml chicken stock; flat-leaf parsley, to serve; mashed potato, to serve

An oval casserole dish filled with a slow cooked beef and parsnip stew with a side of mashed potato

1kg shin of beef
cubed
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions
finely chopped
1 stick celery
finely chopped
500g parsnips
chunkily diced
2 cloves garlic
chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 bay leaves
500ml bottle ale
750ml chicken stock
flat-leaf parsley
to serve
mashed potato
to serve

Method

step 1
Toss the cubed shin of beef with well-seasoned plain flour. Heat the sunflower oil in a large casserole and brown the beef, in batches, for 3-4 minutes on each side until really golden brown, then scoop out onto a plate. Add the onions, celery and parsnips with a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato purée and bay leaves, and cook for 2 minutes before pouring in the ale and chicken stock.
step 2
Return the beef to the pan, season and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, put on a lid and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes before removing the lid to cook for a further 1 hour 30 minutes. The meat should be meltingly tender and the sauce reduced – if not, cook for another 15 minutes. Sprinkle over a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley and serve with mashed potato.