Easy Beef Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1kg steak- any kind of decent steak, I often use rump, but cheaper cuts are fine too)
  • 60gm butter (for browning meat and vegies)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (browning/softening- as above)
  • Plus, another couple of tablespoons of extra butter for mixing with flour and stock later.
  • 2 large onions chopped
  • 2 large or 3 medium carrots sliced
  • 2 sticks celery sliced
  • 2 large potatoes (optional) either peeled and cubed to add to casserole or cook separately and serve as mash with casserole.
  • 2 tablespoons flour – plain or gluten free
  • 2-3 cups of beef stock (beef stock cubes in water or liquid stock e.g., Massel are fine)
  • ½ tsp of thyme
  • 1 large tablespoon of tomato sauce.
  • Rice for serving

Method

  • Chop meat into bite size chunks/cubes and pop on a plate ready to brown.
  • Wash all vegetables, then peel & chop onions, peel and slice carrots, wash & slice celery.
  • Add oil and butter to frying pan on moderate heat (not too hot) brown meat small batches and remove onto a plate.
  • Then add vegies to pan – soften and caramelise onions, then add & lightly cook carrots and celery probs easier to do each separately unless you have a big frying pan – remove onto a plate.
  • Do not wash pan!
  • To empty pan add extra butter on low heat and melt. Add flour and stir in. Take off heat and slowly add stock/water (2 cups) and mix into the paste. Then return to low heat and stir until it thickens.
  • Add tomato sauce- stir in
  • Return meat and vegies to the pan, bring to boil and add extra water and stock if needed i.e., if it seems too dry or too thick.
  • Put a lid on it, lower the heat and simmer on very low heat for around 30-45 mins (not less than 30 mins, but you can leave it to simmer longer than 45 mins if you wish. Taste the gravy, and add salt if needed.dd now and simmer.
  • If including potatoes, add now and simmer for an extra 30 minutes until potato is cooked through.
  • Serve with rice or mashed potato.

Beef- protein for energy plus B vitamins, zinc, selenium, phosphorus & iron; Carrots-antioxidant (beta-carotene), protect heart and eye health, anti-cancer, assists blood sugar control; Onions protect against cancer and CVD, are antifungal, antimicrobial & stabilise blood sugar. Potato- nutrient dense complexcarbohydrate, good source of potassium, Vitamins C & B6,folate plus iron & fibre. They are , sodium, cholesterol & fat free; Celery- antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, fat free, low carb, alkalising, supports digestion, contains potassium, folate, choline, Vitamins A & K; Thyme-antimicrobial, antioxidant,with Vitamins C & A, iron, plus other nutrients. Olive oil– anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, healthy fat.

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