Slow Beef & Sweet Pepper Stew

Name: Slow Beef & Sweet Pepper Stew
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 700 g Beef chuck roast; 200 g Onion; 2 whole Bell pepper; 600 g Canned crushed tomatoes; 350 ml Low-sodium beef stock; 1 tbsp Tomato paste; 4 cloves Garlic; 1.5 tsp Ground coriander; 0.5 tsp Red chili flakes; 1 whole Bay leaf; 1.5 tbsp Olive oil; 15 g Parsley; 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar; 240 g Rustic bread; 150 ml Water; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Beef chuck simmers slowly in a tomato-coriander sauce before sweet peppers and fresh parsley join the pot. Bread is part of the meal.

195 minutes · Intermediate · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Beef chuck roast700 g
Onion200 g
Bell pepper2 whole
Canned crushed tomatoes600 g
Low-sodium beef stock350 ml
Tomato paste1 tbsp
Garlic4 cloves
Ground coriander1.5 tsp
Red chili flakes0.5 tsp
Bay leaf1 whole
Olive oil1.5 tbsp
Parsley15 g
Red wine vinegar1 tbsp
Rustic bread240 g
Water150 ml
Salt0.5 tsp
Black pepper0.5 tsp

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Wheat in bread; check stock and bread for celery, milk, sesame and other allergens. Check wine vinegar for sulphites.

Method

Prepare

Wash the produce. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Remove the pepper stems and seeds and cut into 2 cm squares; refrigerate until needed. Trim large pieces of hard fat from the beef and cut into 3 cm cubes on a separate board. Pat dry, season with half the salt and wash hands and equipment.

Brown in batches

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy 3-litre pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two batches for about 5 minutes per batch, turning to colour two or three sides. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining ½ tbsp oil and onion; cook over medium heat for 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, coriander, chili flakes and tomato paste for 1 minute.

Simmer patiently

Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, pepper and remaining salt. Bring just to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 1½–2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Keep a few small bubbles rising rather than a rolling boil. Add some of the measured water if needed to keep the beef mostly surrounded by sauce.

Add the sweet peppers

When the beef is nearly fork-tender, add the peppers. Cover and simmer for another 25–35 minutes until the peppers are soft and the beef yields easily to a fork. The largest beef pieces must also reach at least 77°C / 170°F; tenderness may require longer. If the sauce is thin, uncover for the final 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Finish

Chop the parsley and fold it into the stew with the vinegar. Divide into four main-course portions and serve each with a quarter of the bread.

Allow extra time if your cut of chuck is still firm: tenderness, not the timer alone, decides when this stew is ready. Keep raw-beef utensils separate from the parsley and bread.

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