Denise says:
This is the ideal recipe for Shabbat and even Seder night as it can be cooking slowly whilst the service is taking place or alternatively frozen and reheated. Large numbers are easier to cater for and serving is simple. I like to accompany this recipe with either sliced roasted potatoes or mashed potato. Dried fruits are plentiful in the kosher supermarkets during Pesach and this dish makes good use of them and allows a small amount of beef go a long way.
Preparation Time:20 minutes Cooking Time:2 ½ hours
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
900g chuck beef steak cut into cubes3 tablespoons plain flour or fine matzah meal for Pesach
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
4 onions – peeled and sliced
250g dried prunes – stones removed
2 cm ginger root – peeled and grated
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
200g sultanas
300ml red wine
450ml beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garnish: Sprigs of fresh coriander
3 tablespoons whole almonds
3 tablespoons pistachio nuts
For the Coriander Mashed Potatoes
1.35 kg Potatoes – peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
Pinch of nutmeg
3 tablespoons coriander – roughly chopped
Freshly ground sea salt – to taste
Method
1) Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan. Fry the beef until browned. Add the onions, cinnamon, ginger, matzah meal to the saucepan and continue to fry for a further 5 minutes.2) Add the red wine, stock, prunes and sultanas. Bring to the boil. Cover and reduced the heat to simmer for 2 hours.
3) Pre-heat the oven to 200C/ 400F/ Gas mark 6.
4) Place the almonds on a baking tray. Put in the oven and toast until golden. This will take about 10 minutes but keep an eye on them as they will burn!
5) Cook the potatoes until soft. Drain. Either use a fork or potato ricer to mash the potatoes. Return the potato to the saucepan. Add the margarine, olive oil, coriander, nutmeg and salt. Stir and season to taste.
To serve the stylish way: Place a generous helping of mashed potato on a warm plate and pour over an individual helping of beef stew. Garnish with sprigs of coriander and toasted whole almonds and pistachio nuts.