Braised Beef

This is an old Yorkshire recipe in which the beef is cooked slightly differently to a gulasz (goulash).  It is cooked with the minimum amount of liquid and the meat is sort of semi-steamed.

Ingredients

• 500g braising steak – try and buy in big pieces – not cubed.
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 100g of mushrooms
• 3 carrots
• ¼ of a celeriac
• 1 parsnip
• 4 cloves
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• 150 ml of dry Vermouth or Sherry
• Salt and pepper
• Plain flour for dusting
• Oil for frying

Method

• You need a large oven proof dish with a lid.
• Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 325°C.
• Remove the skin from the onion but keep it whole.
• Stick the cloves into the onion and place it in the dish.
• Chop the mushrooms into quarters and add to the dish.
• Peel and chop the carrots, celeriac and parsnip and add to the dish.
• Peel and chop the garlic and add to the dish.
• Add the bay leaves to the dish.
• Pour the vermouth or sherry over the vegetables.
• Cut the steak into strips.
• Mix the flour with lots of freshly grated nutmeg, salt and ground pepper.
• Roll the beef strips in the flour mixture.
• Fry the beef strips on all sides and put them on top of the vegetables.
• Put on the lid and place in the oven for around 2- 2 ½ hours.
• Check on the progress, you may find you need to add some more vermouth or sherry.