quick recipe #7 A Simple Mid-week Stew

This stew is a direct descendant of the stews my mum, Audrey Robinson, used to make every week throughout the winter when I was a child.  They were, without question my favourite dinner of the week and are probably the reason why to this day I love wet food more than any other. If ever posed with one of those morbid last meal type questions I can't think of anything other than stews, casseroles or shepherds pie (which isn't so wet, but still in the same vein). Mum usually served this stew with either mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes, which I would mash down into the gravy with the back of my fork, delicious. Sometimes, at the end I'd use a slice of white bread to soak up any remaining gravy, also delicious.

This stew, is full of flavour and doesn't require hours of slow cooking. It's a cozy mid week dinner for cold wintery nights.

serves 4-6, freeze leftover stew for another night

Brown 1.5lb extra lean minced (ground) beef in a little sunflower oil in a large pot. While the meat is browning roughly chop 1 medium onion, 1 large carrot & 2 sticks of celery. When the juices from the meat have almost fully reduced stir in the chopped vegetables with lots of fresh ground white pepper, a pinch of salt and a tsp of dried chili flakes. When the onion is starting to soften add 2.5 pints of hot chicken stock, the juice only from a large can of tomatoes and a large sprig of fresh oregano (use a tsp of dried, if fresh is not available). Bring to a gentle simmer and partially cover.

Now peel 4 large potatoes and cut each one into about 16 even sized chunks. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 - 20 mins until cooked through.

While the potatoes are cooking add 1 can of sweet corn, rinsed, to the stew with 1 can of peas and their water and 1 can of baked beans in tomato sauce.

Peel and crush 4 or 5 large cloves of garlic and add to the stew.

Drain and mash the potatoes with a couple of tablespoons of unsalted butter, a good splash of milk and a generous amount of white pepper.

Remove the sprig of oregano from the stew and discard. Finely chop 1.5 tbsp of fresh oregano and stir through the stew.

Serve in deep bowls, potatoes in first with the stew around the sides.

What are your favourite stew memories?