Beef Marengo

A hearty tomato and beef stock based stew with tender beef cubes and button mushrooms served with the accompaniment of sour cream and toasted bread.

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 90 mins
Difficulty Level: 1/5

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1 kg chuck steak or gravy beef, trimmed, cubed
• ¼ cup seasoned plain flour
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 small kumara, peeled, chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, sliced (fronds reserved)
• 1 green capsicum, seeded, chopped
• 125 g button mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 can (420 g) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (400 g) diced tomatoes
• ½ cup red wine
• ⅓ cup pitted black olives
• Sour cream, crusty bread, to serve

Steps

01. Preheat oven to moderate, 180 C.

02. In a large, flameproof casserole dish, heat oil on high. Dust beef in combined flour and paprika. Brown in 2 batches, 4-5 mins each.

03. In the same dish, sautè kumara, fennel, capsicum, mushrooms and garlic 3-4 mins until beginning to colour.

04. Stir in stock, soup, tomatoes and wine. Season to taste.

05. Bake, covered, 1 hour 15 mins, until meat is tender. Stir in olives. Garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with sour cream and bread.

Top Tip: These cuts of meat are perfect for casseroles:BEEF Blade, brisket, chuck, gravy, topside, silverside.VEAL Knuckle (osso bucco), leg, shoulderLAMB Neck, forequarter, shank, shoulder, legPORK Shoulder, hock, forequarter, legCHICKEN Drumsticks, thigh fillets or cutlets, chicken piecesPhoto: Bauersyndication.com.au/Brett Stevens