Melrose potato and beef stew: the perfect recipe for winter!

If you are looking for a warm, comforting dish to share with your family, then this beef stew with carrots and potatoes is the perfect choice. This flavourful rustic dish is perfect for warming up the coldest nights of the year and bringing an authentic traditional flavour to your dinner table. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients (for 4 people):

800 g of stewing beef (preferably from the shoulder or neck)

4 medium carrots

4 large potatoes

1 large onion

2 sticks of celery

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of tomato paste 500 ml of meat stock (or vegetable)

200 ml of red wine (optional, but recommended)

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of rosemary

Extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Flour as required (for dusting the meat in flour)

Preparation - Wash and peel the carrots and potatoes. Cut the carrots into round slices and the potatoes into cubes of about 3 cm. - Finely chop the onion, celery and garlic. - Dry the pieces of beef with paper towel and gently roll them in flour. - Heat up 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. When the oil is hot, add the meat and brown it on all sides until it has formed a golden brown crust. Take the meat out and put it to one side. - Add another drizzle of oil to the same saucepan, if necessary. Pour in the chopped onion, celery and garlic, and then fry over a medium heat until they turn soft and fragrant. Then add the red wine into the saucepan and stir to deglaze the bottom. Leave the alcohol to evaporate for a few minutes. Now add the tomato paste and stir well to mix everything together. You can now put the meat back into the saucepan and add the carrots, potatoes, bay leaves and rosemary. After a few minutes, pour in the hot stock until it covers the ingredients. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover with a lid and leave it to cook slowly for about two hours. Stir from time to time and check that the liquid does not dry up too much (add some more hot stock if necessary). The stew should be thick and the meat should be very tender. Making this beef stew with carrots and potatoes is like a warm hug on a cold day: simple, genuine and delicious. All that’s left to do is to get cooking and savour every mouthful of this wonderful dish!