My mum used to make a big pot of stew every week when we were growing up and we all loved it with a big loaf of bread! It was so warm and filling on the cold winter nights! I have adapted her recipe to be more slimming world friendly with 0 syns, and she even loves it herself!!
The trick to this stew is that it cooks at a low temp for a long time to really bring out the flavours of the meat and veg (a slow cooker could probably be used, but I just stick mine in the oven on a sat afternoon when the washing/cleaning/ironing are getting on top of me
).
Ingredients:
1kg Potatoes - Diced
750g Root Vegetables (I use 1 1/2 of Asdas diced root vegetable bags, they contain swede/turnip/parsnip/carrots etc and weigh 500g each)
1 Large Onion - Diced
500g of lean steak pieces (I sometimes use extra lean mince also for a change)
1 Leek - Sliced
2 Oxo Beef Stock Cubes
Ground Garlic, Pepper and Salt for Seasoning
Frylight
Method:
Take a large oven friendly pot (I use a 5 litre one) and sweat the onions on a low heat for around 5 minutes, or until they go soft. Then add your meat to brown it off. Once this is done, add the first half of your vegetables and give a good mix, then add half your potatoes and half of your leek and give a good stir so they are all mixed up. Repeat this by adding the rest of your vegetables, potatoes and leek (I add in two goes so that it is even throughout and someone won't get a big bowl of carrots).
Now this is the important bit; add your stock cubes to a measuring jug along with all of your seasoning (ground garlic, salt and pepper) - then add 1 litre of boiling water. I feel it is better to add your seasoning to your stock so that it is mixed throughout the stew when cooking.
Pour this liquid into your pot - it is important that the stock mixture comes up to about 1 inch below the top of the veg/potatoes; this is because the potatoes and veg release so much water when they are cooking and will make the stew too 'watery'. 1 litre of stock may not seem like enough, but trust me it works out in the end.
Pop the whole pot (uncovered) into a preheated over at about 140 degrees. I usually stick it in for about 2 hours and then take it out for a good stir - the potatoes and veg at the top are usually nicely roasted at this point. I then pop it back in for a further 2/3 hours (Between 4 and 5 in total) - it is best to use your judgement here, it should finish with a nice thick consistency and not be runny.
I hope some of you find the time to make this yummy stew, it really is delicious and does not involve too much 'cooking', just a lot of 'stewing'. Enjoy!!
Tip: If you get your meat at the butchers, nicely ask them for a piece of bone that will be thrown out - if you put this into the middle of your stew when it is cooking, it releases some beautiful flavours and really enhances the stew. Not really sure how, but that's what mum does and it really does make a difference!!
The trick to this stew is that it cooks at a low temp for a long time to really bring out the flavours of the meat and veg (a slow cooker could probably be used, but I just stick mine in the oven on a sat afternoon when the washing/cleaning/ironing are getting on top of me
).Ingredients:
1kg Potatoes - Diced
750g Root Vegetables (I use 1 1/2 of Asdas diced root vegetable bags, they contain swede/turnip/parsnip/carrots etc and weigh 500g each)
1 Large Onion - Diced
500g of lean steak pieces (I sometimes use extra lean mince also for a change)
1 Leek - Sliced
2 Oxo Beef Stock Cubes
Ground Garlic, Pepper and Salt for Seasoning
Frylight
Method:
Take a large oven friendly pot (I use a 5 litre one) and sweat the onions on a low heat for around 5 minutes, or until they go soft. Then add your meat to brown it off. Once this is done, add the first half of your vegetables and give a good mix, then add half your potatoes and half of your leek and give a good stir so they are all mixed up. Repeat this by adding the rest of your vegetables, potatoes and leek (I add in two goes so that it is even throughout and someone won't get a big bowl of carrots
).Now this is the important bit; add your stock cubes to a measuring jug along with all of your seasoning (ground garlic, salt and pepper) - then add 1 litre of boiling water. I feel it is better to add your seasoning to your stock so that it is mixed throughout the stew when cooking.
Pour this liquid into your pot - it is important that the stock mixture comes up to about 1 inch below the top of the veg/potatoes; this is because the potatoes and veg release so much water when they are cooking and will make the stew too 'watery'. 1 litre of stock may not seem like enough, but trust me it works out in the end.
Pop the whole pot (uncovered) into a preheated over at about 140 degrees. I usually stick it in for about 2 hours and then take it out for a good stir - the potatoes and veg at the top are usually nicely roasted at this point. I then pop it back in for a further 2/3 hours (Between 4 and 5 in total) - it is best to use your judgement here, it should finish with a nice thick consistency and not be runny.
I hope some of you find the time to make this yummy stew, it really is delicious and does not involve too much 'cooking', just a lot of 'stewing'. Enjoy!!
Tip: If you get your meat at the butchers, nicely ask them for a piece of bone that will be thrown out - if you put this into the middle of your stew when it is cooking, it releases some beautiful flavours and really enhances the stew. Not really sure how, but that's what mum does and it really does make a difference!!
