Slow Cooker Beef, Mushroom And Red Wine Stew

The fact that casseroles are so humble and comforting makes it one of our favourite dinner solutions after a long, tiring day. Pop this recipe in your slow cooker so it can be cooked to perfection just in time for the evening. Now that's a fuss-free, hearty and delicious dinner.

Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 485 mins
Difficulty Level: 3/5

Ingredients

• 16 spring onions (400g)
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 375 g button mushrooms
• 4 rindless bacon slices (260 g), chopped coarsley
• 3 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup (250 ml) dry red wine
• ½ cup (70 g) tomato paste
• ½ tsp caster (superfine) sugar
• 1.2 kg gravy beef, chopped coarsely
• 2 medium fennel bulbs (600 g), sliced thickly
• ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps

Trim green ends from onions, leaving about 8 cm of stems attached; trim roots.

02. Heat oil in a large frying pan; cook onions, mushrooms, bacon and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Stir in wine, paste and sugar; bring to the boil, boil, uncovered, 2 mins.

03. Place beef, fennel and onion mixture in a 4.5-litre (18-cup) slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low, 8 hours.

04. Before serving, stir in parsley; season to taste.

Chuck steak or any stewing steak can be used instead of gravy beef. This recipe is not suitable to freeze.Recipe and photo: bauersyndication.com.au