Spicy Beef Stew

Start by dicing the carrot, onion and garlic. If you want, you can go for a fine dice, but I prefer chunky bits for a more rustic feel. Set aside. Cut the beef into thumb-sized pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. You can use a Dutch oven, but really any pot with a thick bottom will do. Add the cut up beef and cook it for 5 minutes or until it has browned on all sides. Add the carrot, onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir through. Let it brown slightly for 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and the tomatoes. Add the spices and stir through. Turn the heat down as low as possible. Let it simmer for at least 2 hours, but preferably as long as possible. Stir from time to time, so it doesn’t burn. And make sure you scrape any bits of the bottom of the pan. This is where the real flavour is!

I like to start this dish in the morning or even the night before so it can simmer away on the stove all day. A longer cooking time increases the tenderness of the meat and the intensity of the flavour.