Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 4–6 (or makes 6–8 toddler portions)
A comforting slow-cooked beef or buffalo stew packed with hidden vegetables and topped with creamy sweet potato mash.
Ingredients
For the stew
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced (about 130g)
1–2 sticks celery, finely diced (about 130g)
2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
500g diced stewing steak (beef or buffalo)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 low-salt beef stock cube
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 × 25g pack parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped separately
For the sweet potato topping
1kg sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
knob of butter
handful grated cheddar
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the carrot and celery. Cook until softened, adding a splash of water if it begins to stick.
- Add the diced stewing steak and cook until browned all over. Stir in the garlic and cinnamon and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Dissolve the stock cube in 500ml boiling water. Pour into the pan along with the tomato purée and parsley stalks. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 45–60 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir in the chopped parsley leaves.
- Transfer the stew to a medium-sized ovenproof dish (suitable for 4–6 people), or divide between 6–8 large ramekins for toddler portions.
- Meanwhile, steam or boil the sweet potatoes until tender. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Drain the potatoes well and mash with the butter.
- Spoon the mash over the stew, sprinkle with grated cheddar and bake on the top shelf for around 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- To freeze, cool completely, cover and freeze. Defrost thoroughly (overnight in the fridge is best) and reheat at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30–35 minutes until piping hot.
Nutrition (per serving)
(Based on 4 servings — values will reduce slightly if serving 6)
Energy: 474 kcal
Fat: 14.1g
Saturates: 5.7g
Carbohydrates: 56g
Sugars: 19g
Fibre: 10.9g
Protein: 31.2g
Salt: 1.4g