Navarin of beef with spring veg
Meat mains
Navarin of beef with spring veg
Diced beef and primavera vegetables don't usually go hand in hand, but swapping lamb for beef in a spring navarin casserole works beautifully. The new spring vegetables, particularly the potatoes and turnips, are the stars of the show, so using less meat is easy. Other vegetables (asparagus, greens etc) can be added about 15 minutes before serving.
Ingredients
- 500g diced beef
- 25g butter
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- about 1 litre chicken (or veg) stock
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 bouquet garni (a sprig of rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf, tied together)
- 8 new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
- 8 carrots, scrubbed, halved if large
- 8 small onions or shallots, or 2 large onions, cut into quarters
- 5 turnips, peeled and cut into quarters (or left whole if they are very small)
- 200g peas
- 200g broad beans
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper and leave for 1 hour.
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Step 2
Heat the butter in a large, heavy-based pan, add the beef (in batches if necessary) and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until browned all over. Add the flour and cook, stirring, over a low heat for about 4 minutes. Add the tomato purée and then gradually stir in half the stock until you have a smooth sauce.
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Step 3
Add the garlic, sugar and bouquet garni, plus enough of the remaining stock just to cover the beef. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for an hour. Add the root vegetables and onions and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes, until tender.
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Step 4
Skim off any surface fat, season to taste and add the peas, and the broad beans, if using. Simmer for 5 minutes, then scatter with the parsley and serve.
