06-01-2012 12:12:00

Hi Chef's

A perfect winter warmer for the cold nights at the moment.  This is also a great freezer dish so you can batch cook and freeze in tubs or individual small dishes for a really quick and warming supper.

Blade of Beef & Abbot Ale ‘Hotpot’

Ingredients:  If you have other left over vegetables such as parsnips or turnips, they can easily be subsituted or added to the dish.

* Serves 2 people

• 200g blade of beef (diced)
• 1 shallot (peeled & diced)
• 1 carrot (peeled & diced)
• ¼ leek (washed & sliced)
• 8 button mushrooms (washed)
• 1 stick celery (washed & diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (peeled & smashed)
• 1 sprig thyme (picked)
• 1 sprig rosemary (picked)
• 250ml Purity UBU Ale - available from Becketts Farm Shop
• 100ml dark beef stock
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp beef dripping
• 1 tsp flour
• 2 Maris piper (peeled & thinly sliced)
• 30g unsalted butter (melted)
• Seasoning 

Method:

 1. Begin by lightly dusting the beef in the flour.  

2. Heat up a heavy based pan with 1 tbsp of the beef dripping. Add the beef to the pan and brown off on all sides.

3. Remove the meat and put to one side, add the remaining dripping to the pan and sauté all of the vegetables for 4-5 minutes or until they are lightly coloured.

4. Add the beef back into the pan and de-glaze the pan with some of the ale. Scrape the bottom of the pan of all of the caramelized meat and vegetables.

5. Stir the tomato puree and herbs into the pan and cook out for 2 minutes on a medium heat before adding the remaining ale and stock.

6. Bring up to a simmer and cook on a medium-low heat, loosely covered with baking parchment.

7. Simmer gently for 40 -50 minutes or until the beef is tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes.

8. Spoon the hotpot into a small casserole dish or individual ramekins.

9. Layer the sliced potato on top and brush with the melted butter, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven at 180°c/gas mark 4 for 30-35 minutes or until the potato is tender and golden brown, the sauce should be bubbling up the sides of the dish.

10. Serve piping hot with Becketts Bakery Crusty bloomer bread.

For my roasted root vegetable soup recipe click here