As you’ve probably realised by now, I am a Birmingham Medical School graduate. As a student we all had one fear; being placed at Hereford. This meant that for 18 weeks you were isolated from your friends, girlfriend, and a decent Calzone. It did however mean you got amazing teaching, opportunities which were only comparable to the old school training days (find me another 5th year that can put in central lines and do an open appendicectomy – quids in they went to Hereford as well ). It also allowed some long-lasting relationships to form.
Now, I can’t claim to have made any long-term romances, but I did discover something amazing………..
Llanthony, a ruined Abbey just across the border in Wales.
The Priory was founded in 1100 and, following the dissolution of the monasteries, has laid dormant for centuries. Luckily, in the late 19th century, someone converted the remaining tower and cellar into a bed and breakfast which still remains. The rooms are cosy, the perfect place to bring a lover for a secret weekend away, and the bar serves good honest food. It inspired this recipe in fact, a hearty beef casserole slowly cooked in local Stout with herby dumplings and Yorkshire puddings; what’s not to love. The lads certainly did on our recent walking trip.
Beef Stew
For this recipe you either need an Aga or a slow cooker
Ingredients
- 4lb Chunk Steak
- 2lbs Onions (ideally small)
- 2 bottles of Stout
- 4 Carrots
- 1 Head of celery
- 1 Parsnip
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- Thyme, sage, salt, pepper
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Flour and oil
Start by taking your beef and removing all the obvious fat, tendons and membranes. What you should be left with is delicious meat, some marbling but none of the chewy fat. I’m using beef from Coates butchers – they are great!!
Toss the beef in seasoned flour and then brown off in a Le Creuset – I’m using Bertha, a pan I bought in Hereford years ago. Alternatively you can cook it in a frying pan and transfer to the slow cooker.
Take the browned meat out and then saute the carrot, onion and celery (finely dice these first). I’ve used Grans ridged cutter here for the carrots – rumour is it was made from the old air raid shelter.
Now for the fun part – deglaze the pan with the beer. You can use lots of different types of beer, stout is best and I’m using one from the local brewery, Derventio brewery.
With the beef, carrots, onion, celery and beer combined in the Le Creuset, add the thyme, sage and some tomato puree/soup (it helps tenderise the beef). Finally add the garlic. A little goes a long way.
Leave to cook overnight in a low oven till the meat is tender. At this point you can add in some small onions to go with the diced up ones. Pickling onions are perfect. Return to the slow oven again. Around another 12hrs should do it.
In the mean time you can make the dumplings and Yorkshire puddings if you want to plan ahead.
Herby Dumplings
I’m a great fan of dumplings, they are a great addition to an already hearty meal. Proper dumplings are made with suet and if you don’t ask too many questions about its origin it’s great. According to mum the box hasn’t changed since she was a young girl. I’ve added some horseradish and parsley for added flavour.
Ingredients
- 8oz Self raising flour
- 4oz Suet
- 1tbs Parsley
- 2tsp Horseradish
- Water
Start by weighing out the flour and suet then transferring into a large mixing bowl along with the parsley.
Add the horseradish, then add cold water, one spoon at a time.
Bring together to form a relatively wet dough and divide into walnut sized balls. Roll them in to shape.
To cook, add the dumplings onto the top of the stew and replace the lid.
Cook for 20mins, removing the lid in the last 5 mins to allow a bit of browning action.
Yorkshire Puddings
Currently theatres are having a debate around Yorkshires with Christmas dinner. Unless you have beef then the answer should be no.
Ingredients
- 8oz Plain flour
- 1pint Milk
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Pinch of salt
Again start by weighing out the flour and transferring to a mixing bowl as well as a pinch of salt.
Add in the wet ingredients; the milk and eggs.
Combine and beat together using a novel whisk – this one I think was used by my Victorian relatives…………… It works really well though.
Set aside to rest in the fridge. In the mean time, heat up some fat in a red-hot oven. I’m using real beef dripping. This is not exactly heart healthy but tastes great.
When the fat is smoking hot, fill each well about 3/4 full and return to the oven.
Cook for about 20mins, turning half way through.
When cooked, remove and serve whilst still warm and crispy. Otherwise they can be rewarmed later.
Lets eat.
Right!! With your hearty stew cooked, serve with a couple of dumplings, yorkshire puddings and some veg. If you are greedy, a side of crispy potatoes mops up the gravy perfectly.
And don’t forget the horseradish.
Dr Cox @ The Friars House 