Home / Discover Circulon / Cooking with Circulon / Beef with red wine and prunes

Beef with red wine and prunes

Introduction

Using a Circulon Steel Elite 24cm Stockpot

Serves: 8

Special equipment: N/A

Ingredients

4 tbsp oil 2 medium onions, sliced 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 1 small stick celery, finely chopped sprig thyme 25 g butter 350 g field mushrooms, sliced handful flat leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbsp flour 750 g stewing steak cut into large chunks – 2 or 3 mouthfuls per piece 500ml red wine (or beef stock) 2 tsp tomato purée 2 tsp English mustard 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 200g prunes, stones out

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2. Heat half the oil in a skillet and fry the onion, carrot and celery until soft and pale golden, then tip them into a large casserole with the thyme.

2. Add the butter to the pan and sauté the mushrooms until they just begin to give up their juices, add the parsley, stir well and tip into the casserole.

3. Sprinkle the flour onto a large plate and season. Turn the steak pieces in the flour.

4. Heat the remaining oil in the pan until really hot and fry the steak pieces, a few at a time so they are well browned and add them to the casserole.

5. Tip any remaining flour into the skillet, add the red wine or stock, tomato purée, mustard, vinegar and then scrape the bottom with a nylon spoon to remove any sediment.

6. Pour into the casserole, add the prunes, stir well, cover and cook for 2 ½ hours or until the meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth. You will need to stir the beef every now and then and you may also need to add more liquid.

 

Chef’s notes

The great thing with this stock pot is that it is the perfect size for making food for a group of friends or family. Serve with a generous helping of puréed parsnips and carrots and cabbage fried with grainy mustard.