Egmont Honey - Beef & Carrot Stew

Slow-cooked meals like this are a welcome addition to the repertoire when there’s a chill in the air. In this recipe, beef and carrots are flavoured with bacon, herbs and a touch of honey - all enveloped in a rich red wine sauce. Perfect served over creamy mashed potato or polenta.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, quartered, finely sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 150g bacon, sliced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 500g diced beef
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Egmont Honey
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 300g baby carrots, cut in half on the diagonal, then in half lengthways
• 1 cup stock
• 1 cup red wine
• Parsley to serve

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°
2. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and fry the onions until golden and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute or two.
3. Transfer the onions into an oven-proof pot with a lid. Return the pan to the heat and cook the bacon.
4. Add this to the onions and return the pan to the stove.
5. Put the flour into a shallow dish, add in the beef and turn to coat well.
6. Add the remaining oil to the pan and brown the meat in batches.
7. Add this to the pot along with the remaining ingredients.
8. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, put the lid on the pot and the pot into the oven.
9. Cook for 2 ½ - 3 hours or until the meat is tender.
10. Check from 2 ½ hours onwards.
11. Serve with parmesan mashed potatoes or creamy polenta and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.