Winter Casserole

Serves: 4-5

Prep Time: 25 Min

Winter is the time for comfort and for good food and warmth.  I set my crock pot this morning and am looking forward to getting home and being greeted with that amazing smell  and the thought of dinner being prepared already!

Ingredients
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
500g chopped lamb or beef, cubed into 2.5cm pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
salt & Freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 beef stock cube
240 ml red wine
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves

Option:  Add halved baby potatoes or serve with mashed potato if you prefer

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Method

In a pan with a little oil add the cubed lamb or beef and brown in batches. Add to the crockpot.

In the same pan, add onions and brown.  Add the garlic being careful not to burn, stir until fragrant.  Add to the crockpot along with chopped carrots, celery and baby potatoes (if not having mash).

Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste, cumin, and paprika.

Add stock, wine, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and bay leaves.

Turn Crock pot on and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Remove bay leaves and rosemary and garnish with parsley before serving. 

NOTE:  If you prefer your casserole to be a little thicker then half an hour before it’s ready mix a little corn flour (dessert spoonful should be enough) and cold water to make a paste and stir through the crockpot.