Beef stew with carrots and orange

Serve with creamy mashed potato and cooked green vegetables.

Ingredients

700 g	Cross-cut blade steak, cut into large pieces (3-4cm) (Main)
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1	Onion, finely sliced
3 cloves	Garlic, crushed
3	Carrots, lightly peeled and sliced (Main)
2 sticks	Celery, strings removed with a vegetable peeler and sliced
1 Tbsp	Plain flour
1	Orange, zest and juice (Main)
500 ml	Beef stock, or half stock and half water (Main)
2	Bay leaves
1 pinch	Salt and pepper

Thickening paste

25 g	Butter
25 g	Plain flour

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 160C.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Rub the beef with half of the oil and place in the hot pan, in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Brown on both sides, then place in a casserole dish as you go. Lower the heat under the pan, add the remaining oil then the onion and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly coloured. Stir in the orange zest and juice and pour in the stock. Add the bay leaves. Bring up to the boil, then transfer to the casserole dish with the beef. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cover and place in the oven and cook for 2 ½ hours until the beef is very tender. If the sauce needs thickening, remove beef stew from the oven 30 minutes before the end of cooking time. Make a paste with the softened butter and flour and stir or whisk enough into the sauce to thicken. Return beef stew to the oven to finish cooking.

See more of Kathy's simple dinner recipes

• Mexican street corn
• Warm roast carrot and quinoa salad