A fabulous winter warming dish to keep you warm during these cold and snowy days.

Ingredients

750g/1½lb Lagan farm shin of beef or stewing steak
500g/1lb small onions, sliced
40g/1½oz dripping
1 tbsp flour
900ml/1½ pint hot water
salt and freshly ground pepper
500g/1lb carrots, halved lengthways
1 bay leaf

For the dumplings

175g/6oz self-raising flour
75g/3oz shredded suet
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
Mixed herbs for flavour
good pinch salt and pepper
water, to mix

Preparation method

1. Remove any gristle and surplus fat from the meat and trim into neat 4cm/1½in cubes.
2. Fry the meat and onions in the dripping until lightly browned all over. Sprinkle in the flour and mix well. Gradually stir in the water and continue stirring until it boils. Season to taste.
3. Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour. Then add the carrots and bay leaf and simmer for a further hour, when it will be time to add the dumplings.
4. To make the dumplings, sieve the flour into a bowl and add the suet, parsley, salt and pepper. Next add enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough, about 3 tbsp. Lightly flour your hands and roll the dough into eight small balls. Add to the stew and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.

Rump Steak

We were really hoping to bring you a fantastic offer on lamb this month, but prices have stayed resolutely high. This may not be good news for all meat-eaters, but I’m sure that all those farmers will be grateful. In any case we have got another great offer for you – Rump Steak at £9:99/kg (£4:54/lb.). Rump steak is sometimes overlooked in favour of Fillet or Sirloin, but for my money it is the best of the lot. Certainly for flavour it can’t be beaten. Fillet is undoubtedly the most tender, and sirloin too, but the combination of flavour and texture in a rump steak that has been hung for 21-28 days is exceptional. The recipe I’ve got for this is meant to bring out this flavour with little or no fussing about.

Ingredients :

1 8oz. rump steak per person.
Salt and pepper.
A splash or two of red wine.
Watercress.

• Remove your steak(s) from the fridge at least half an hour before cooking.
• Warm your plates (the recipe will take about five minutes from start to finish).
• Have a pan of boiling water ready.
• Heat a good heavy frying pan, ideally a non-stick one.
• Grind some black pepper into the pan and add half a teaspoonful of salt, preferably sea salt such as Maldon.
• Put the steak into the (very) hot pan, pressing it down. Cook for 30 seconds.
• Turn the steak over and repeat.
• Turn the steak over again and add half the red wine.
• Repeat and plunge the water cress into the boiling water for 30 seconds.
• Drain the watercress, take the steak of the heat, put on top of the watercress and serve.

This is for a rare steak – you will know exactly how well-done you like yours, so amend the cooking time accordingly. Ditto the seasoning – you may want more or less salt and/or pepper, although you will need some salt to bring out the flavour. Serve with whatever potatoes you like – sauté are usually a popular choice.

Slow Cook Shin of Beef Stew (serves 4 people)

600g (1 ¼ lb) of shin of beef – you can use stewing steak as an alternative.
Two medium onions or leeks.
½ head of celery (optional)
Four carrots.
Seasoned flour.
Vinegar.
Cloves.
Dried chilli flakes/Juniper berries/Black peppercorns (all optional).
Red wine/Ale, as preferred, to cover the meat.

Cut the beef into strips or dice it, as preferred. Put the seasoned flour into a bag, add the meat and shake it until the meat is covered. Brown the meat in a casserole on a high heat (beef dripping is best, but vegetable oil is fine) and reserve.

Chop the onions and celery and begin to sweat them over a low heat. Add the chilli flakes and/or juniper berries and/or peppercorns, stirring them well into the vegetables.

Put the meat back into the pan and throw in a large splash of vinegar – sherry or balsamic is good, wine vinegar is fine and just sherry or vermouth would do.

Add a couple of dessert spoonfuls of the seasoned flour from the bag you shook the diced meat in. Stir well but slowly until the flour is somewhat cooked.

Add the roughly chopped carrots and the red wine or ale. If using beer, ale or stout that is all you need. If using red wine, use a 50/50 mixture with water or beef stock. Stir once twice to mix in.

Cut a circle of greaseproof paper the same size as the casserole you are using. Wet it thoroughly and place the paper on the surface of the meat and vegetables. Put the lid on the casserole.

Cook in a slow oven (150?C) for at least four hours. Check the casserole to ensure that it hasn’t dried out. If it has, just add some more liquid as above. Try a bit of the meat for tenderness. If you think it’s ready, turn the oven down to 100?C until you are ready to serve it. Six hours cooking will NOT harm this dish ! In fact, if you make it the day before and reheat it, it will be even better.

For vegetables I can recommend any type of cabbage that takes your fancy, steamed and then tossed in some melted butter for a minute or so. I find mashed potatoes work best, but you will know what you like.

The cost should be not more than £5:00 if you take advantage of our March Special Offer – otherwise it might creep up to about £6:50.