Cookery
A tasty make-ahead menu for leisurely weekends
GET-AHEAD TIP
Make to step 4, chill covered, ready to bake.
PER SERVING
400 cals, 25g fat, 5g sat fat, 8g carbs
PER SERVING
290 cals, 19g fat, 11g sat fat, 13g carbs
GET-AHEAD TIP
Cook the casserole a day ahead, and gently reheat it on the hob before topping it with the gremolata and serving.
Slow-cooked beef casserole
Don’t be put off by the anchovies – they add salinity and a depth of flavour to this sumptuous stew.
SERVES
PREP 40 mins COOK 3 hrs 30 mins
✱ 800g British beef shin or braising steak, cut into 3cm chunks ✱ 2tbsp plain flour, seasoned ✱ 4tbsp oil, plus extra if needed ✱ 1 large onion, chopped ✱ 2 sticks celery, chopped ✱ 1 large or 2 small carrots, chopped ✱ 2 fresh bay leaves ✱Glass red wine ✱ 4 fat garlic cloves, peeled ✱ 50g tin anchovies in oil, drained and roughly chopped ✱ 2 x 500ml packs fresh beef stock ✱ 4 thyme sprigs ✱ 2 rosemary sprigs ✱ 100g pitted green or kalamata olives
FOR THE GREMOLATA
✱ 50g hazelnuts, toasted in a dry pan and chopped ✱ 1 garlic clove, chopped ✱Finely grated zest 1 lemon ✱Large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 Heat the oven to 130C Fan/Gas 2. Toss the beef in the flour and set aside.
2 Heat 2tbsp of the oil in a large casserole over a medium heat and fry all the vegetables and the bay leaves, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 mins.
3 Heat the rest of the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Fry the beef in batches until browned all over, adding more oil if necessary. Set aside.
4 Add the wine to the frying pan and let it bubble for a few mins, scraping up any stuck-on browned flavour with a wooden spoon. Reserve the wine.
5 Add the garlic and anchovies to the casserole vegetables, stirring. Add the beef then stir in the reserved wine and the stock. Tuck in the herb sprigs and olives. Cover and transfer to the oven for 3 hrs 30 mins or until the meat is tender. Uncover for the last 30 mins to reduce the gravy. Cool if not serving straight away.
6 When ready to serve, combine all the ingredients for the gremolata in a small serving bowl. Reheat the beef in the casserole on the hob (discarding the herbs) and serve with the gremolata topping.
Fancy dessert? Try our Lemon meringue cheesecake on page 35.
Spinach and kale gratin
SERVES 6
PREP 30 mins COOK 20-25 mins ✱ 250g kale, any woody stems discarded ✱ 150g heritage kale or chard ✱ 260g spinach leaves ✱ 40g butter ✱ 40g plain flour ✱ 550ml whole milk ✱ 1tbsp Dijon mustard ✱ 50g mature Cheddar, grated ✱Whole nutmeg, for grating ✱ 100g crème fraiche ✱ 50g Parmesan, grated
1 Blanch both the kales in a large pan of boiling water for 3 mins. Remove, drain
