Barley and beef cook-ahead casserole
Casseroles are always better when cooked ahead and left overnight to ‘mature’. Sally Bee's version on the Vow to Wow plan features beef and pearl barley which is rich in fibre and a source of B vitamins.
Sally says: "This is a great dish to cook once and eat 3 times! It will keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 6 days, so make a big batch and enjoy all weeklong!"
Ingredients
Serves 6
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 800g lean braising steak. (Brisket also works well – see what is the best offer)1 large onion, peeled and chopped2 cloves garlic, finely chopped3 sticks celery, chopped2 carrots, sliced into 1cm chunks1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped1 green pepper, de-seeded and chopped2 tbsp tomato purée200ml red wine1 low salt beef stock cube400g can chopped tomatoes3 thyme sprigs2 bay leaves1 tbsp dried oreganoFreshly ground black pepper75g pearl barley2 tbsp cider vinegarLarge handful of parsley, chopped
For this meal you will need an oven proof casserole dish that is also suitable for the hob.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C
Cut the beef into 1 inch chunks if it isn’t already done and cut off any visible fat
Add the olive oil to the bottom of a large oven/hob proof casserole dish
Warm over a high heat and add the beef, in batches, and cook until golden brown
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside
The trick here is not to move the meat around too much, give it a chance to brown on each side
Next add the chopped onion, celery, carrot and peppers along with a splash of water to the casserole and fry for 4-5 minutes until softened
Add the tomato purée and garlic and fry for a further minute
Now return the beef to the casserole and pour in the wine, the stock cube dissolved in 500ml boiling water, the chopped tomatoes, and all the herbs
Stir well, pop the lid on the casserole and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours, stirring every now and then
After this time, take the casserole out of the oven, and add the pearl barley
Simmer on the hob so that you can keep an eye on it for 30 minutes until the barley is tender. You may want to add a little extra wine or water at this stage if you feel the casserole needs more liquid.
Finally add the cider vinegar and chopped parsley and serve