Slow-Cooked North African Beef and Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
- 450g diced beef or beef braising steak, each piece cut in half
- oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- 800g mixed root veg
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp ras al hanout
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 150 ml red wine
- 400 ml beef stock
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tin cooked chickpeas
- 100 g pitted prunes
- handful fresh parsley, chopped
- handful fresh coriander, chopped
- seeds from 1 pomegranate
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, casserole dish, or tagine over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well-sealed on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Spices: Stir in the 1 tbsp ras al hanout and 1 tsp garam masala. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to toast the spices.
- Deglaze: Pour in the 150ml red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce by half.
- Simmer the Stew: Return the beef to the pan. Add the 400ml beef stock and the cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add Root Vegetables: Add the 800g mixed root veg. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are soft. Check occasionally and add a splash of water or stock if the stew seems too dry.
- Add Final Ingredients: About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the drained chickpeas and the 100g pitted prunes. Continue to simmer until the stew is ready.
- Taste and Adjust: Remove the cinnamon stick. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the stew into bowls. Scatter generously with the chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh coriander, and pomegranate seeds. Serve hot with couscous or crusty bread.
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