(Mock) Irish Stew
Since the recipe came from the River Cottage Baby & Toddler Cookbook, it is specifically designed to be thrown together in the 20 minutes during which an average toddler can handle a parent partially-occupied with the stove top.
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Ingredients
- Oil 3 Tbsp
- Bacon 3-1/2 oz. (100 g), diced or in small ribbons
- Onions 2, finely sliced
- Garlic 2 cloves, sliced
- Flour 2 Tbsp.
- Stewing meat beef or venison if you have it, 2 lbs (1 kg), cut into chunks
- Wine red, about a glass (you decide the size)
- Carrots 2, sliced
- Celery stalks, 2, sliced
- Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp.
- Tomato concentrate tomato paste, 1 Tbsp.
- Bay leaf 1
- Thyme sprig 1
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 285°F (140°C).
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large oven-proof casserole. Add the bacon, cook over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Lower the heat and cook until the onions are golden.
- Put flour on a plate. Add in the chunks of meat and toss around until they are lightly covered.
- Heat another Tbsp of oil in a frying pan over high heat. Brown the meat chunks until they are crusty all over. You might have to brown in batches depending on the size of your frying pan.
- Transfer browned meat to the onion casserole.
- Pour the glass of red wine into the hot pan and gently scrape the bottom of the pan until all the good stuff is swimming in wine.
- Pour the wine-good stuff mixture into the casserole with the meat and onions. Add the carrots and celery and stir well.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, the tomato paste (concentrate) and 500 ml of boiling water to the pan. Follow up with the bay leaf and the thyme.
- Bring the liquid to a boil then cover the pan and put in the oven.
- Cook for about 2 hours.
- Serve with potatoes prepared in your favorite manner.