I’ve spent the last 2 Saturdays cycling. First we went to the ocean, 80 km in total and last weekend we went all the way to Kunshan (100 km round trip).  For most professional cyclists these distances might sound ridicules but for me who has never cycled before, those numbers are quite an achievement.

Since I knew that after my long ride I would have been pretty hungry, I prepared this beef stew the day before so I could have it ready for dinner once I made it back home. In the end I did not eat the beef stew but ordered an 18 inch tomato & basil pizza, which I whipped off together with almost a whole jar of cookies…I deserved a special treatment!

I enjoyed the beef on Sunday at dinner and, despite It had been seated in my fridge for 48 hours, it was still delicious!

Here is how you make it.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 300 g beef (from the shoulder)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 bay leave
• 1/2 tsp theme
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 g frozen peas
• 6 fresh mint leaves

Cut the beef into 1″ cubes and dry it with paper towel. To properly brown  the meat it needs to be as dry as possible so pad it with some kitchen paper

 

In a French oven casserole heat up the olive oil and add the beef. Brown it on high moving it around

 

Then remove it and set aside

Pour the red wine into the casserole to deglaze it. Use a wooden spoon to scrap the bottom of the casserole

 

Add the beef back into the casserole

and add the tomato paste, herbs and beef stock

Bring it to a simmer and taste to make sure you don’t need to add salt. Then cover with the lid and move it to the oven where you will leave cooking for about 3 hours at 150 C (325F)

In the meantime defrost the peas

Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it cool down. Once the sauce it’s cold, the fat will come up on the surface and it will be easier for you to remove it – if you like to.

Add the peas to the casserole, bring it to a simmer and let it cook for about 20-30 min or until peas are cooked. Add some fresh mint leaves and serve or store into your fridge

Love

– LittleDani