Ingredients
- 1 tbsp of plain flour
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp of wholegrain mustard
- 50 g of mature cheddar cheese
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 750 g of steak, trimmed and cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of soft dark brown sugar
- 200 ml of stout
- 850 g of large potatoes
- 1 pinch of ground cloves
Method
Step 1
Set oven to 160C/Gas 3.Step 2
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Then brown the beef, a few pieces at a time. Remove the meat as it browns and place in an ovenproof dish.Step 3
Heat the rest of the oil in the pan and then add the onions. Cook for a couple of minutes to soften then add in the garlic. Cook for another minute, be careful not to let the garlic burn.Step 4
Then stir in the sugar and flour. Add in the stout and 300ml of water or stock, stirring all the time. Then add a few sprigs of thyme, the red wine vinegar, mustard ground cloves, a little salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to the boil then pour the sauce over the meat in the casserole dish.Step 5
Cover with a lid or tin foil and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.Step 6
Meanwhile cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain well. Slice the potatoes into 1cm rounds and overlap them on top of the beef in the casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper then sprinkle over the cheese.Step 7
Increase the oven temperature to 200C. Place the casserole dish back in the oven and continue to cook until the potatoes are golden and cooked through - approximately 15 minutes.Step 8
Serve with a selection of root vegetables which have been tossed in a little olive oil and seasoning and roasted along with the casserole for the last 30 minutes.