Due to popular demand (a request from my sister in-law Anne-Marie) I am posting the recipe for the ‘Beef & Red Wine Hotpot.’ Each batch will feed 8 people so it’s particularly good for entertaining. In advance preparation for my boys communion I made and froze three batches and thawed them overnight and they reheated perfectly. All you need to do on the day is to prep. the potatoes so it takes the stress out of feeding a large group of people.
Beef & Red Wine Hotpot
You will need:
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1.5kg diced shin beef
3 tbsp flour
2 onions
600g carrots (5 or 6 medium sized)
4 garlic cloves
175ml red wine
750ml beef stock
3 bay leaves
3 thyme sprigs
For the Topping
700g potatoes, 50g parmesan
To make the meat base:
Peel and slice the onions. Peel and cut the carrots into batons. Peel and crush the garlic.
Sprinkle the beef with flour and mix well. Heat 2tbsp of the sunflower oil in casserole dish and brown the meat in batches, transfer to a plate when browned. (You are not cooking the meat here but browning for flavour and sealing in the juices). Add 2 tbsp of sunflower oil to the casserole dish and scrape up any meat/flour residue with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat and cook the onion and carrots for 10 minutes with a lid on until softened. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and add the garlic, mix well and after 1 minute add the wine. Bring to the boil then return the beef to the casserole, add the stock, bay leaves and thyme and reduce to simmer for 2 and a half hours with lid on stirrig occasionally.
For the potato topping:
Heat the oven to 200 / gas 7. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes until almost done and then drain. Grate the parmesan. Arrange the potatoes to overlap on top of the beef casserole and sprinkle well with the parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
I hope you get a chance to try this out. Till next time, Sheila
