Beef & Bacon Casserole

Serves 6

Ingredients

750g blade steak (trimmed and diced into 2.5 cm cubes)
4 rashers lean middle bacon (trimmed)
3 medium onions – chopped into large chunks
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced chilli
250g jar tomato paste
2 cups water
3 beef stock cubes
1 cup red wine
250g Button mushrooms

Method

1. Heat a large pan sprayed with cooking spray. (I use a large French Casserole)
2. Cook onions until lightly browned. (It is often good to add 1 of the stock cubes and extra ½ cup of water here. The water evaporates as the onions soften and the stock cube adds to the caramelizing effect)
3. Add garlic and chilli and mix in.
4. Add steak and cook, stirring until brown.
5. Stir in wine, tomato paste, water and stock cubes (only add two cubes if you used one with the onions but add both cups of water)
6. Simmer, covered for 45mins (I find it is especially tasty if cooked on low in the oven for over an hour)
7. Stir in mushrooms & cook further 10mins.

Alison Farr-Handley