Butchery @ Fresh Choice Nelson

In this week’s post, local Nelson chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker has been down to the Fresh Choice Nelson Butchery. Now he’s sharing a recipe for a hearty beef stew! Take it away, Grant…

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This is a fantastic time of year to be out and about. Crisp mornings, the beginnings of warm afternoon sun, and cool evenings… The perfect time to stew. Stews have an undue reputation for being watery messes. They needn’t be, nor should they be seen as second-rate food. Using slow cooking techniques, you can make a reasonably priced cut of meat, from the butchery at Fresh Choice Nelson, into an impressive dish. Prepare it in the morning, go out on the great taste trail, enjoy the best part of the day, and return home to a delicious perfectly cooked stew. What could be better?

Here\’s my recipe for the ultimate beef stew!

Ingredients:

• A few splashes of olive oil
• 1/2 kg diced beef rump from the Fresh Choice Nelson Butchery
• 2 medium leeks
• 2 sticks celery
• 4 medium carrots
• A few sprigs fresh thyme
• A few sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 8-10 quartered new potatoes
• 4 cloves
• 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
• 2 x 400 gm tins plum tomatoes
• 275 ml dark beer or red wine
• 1 litre organic beef stock, optional
• Worcestershire sauce

Method:

1. Lightly season the beef and dust with flour.
2. In a hot frying pan, brown the diced beef in oil, in batches.
3. Halve the leeks and celery lengthways, then chop into 2cm chunks. Peel and chop your carrots. Add the veg to your slow cooker.
4. Add the browned beef pieces, then add the wine/beer into the empty frying pan on the heat. Use it to steam all the roasted flavours from the bottom of the pan. Add this liquid to your slow cooker, with the potatoes.
5. Add cloves, tomatoes and stir well.
6. Cover with the beef stock, or just use cold water, and add a good dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
7. Cook on slow in the slow cooker for up to eight hours, depending on power levels.
8. Add another good dash of Worcestershire sauce, season to taste and enjoy with creamy mash and seasonal steamed greens.