SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 kg diced beef
5 rashes bacon, rind removed and thinly sliced
200g button mushrooms, quartered
1 bunch spring onions, bulbs removed and quatered
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3cm pieces
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp rice flour
3 tsp paprika (Hungarian or smoked)
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups beef stock
3 bay leaves
2 large sprigs fresh oregano
½ cup cream or natural yoghurt
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Remove rind and excess fat from bacon. Preheat a heavy based Le Creuset pan (or similar) over medium heat and render the fat from the bacon rind until brown and crispy. Remove from pan. Add sliced bacon, quartered onions, carrots and mushrooms to the frying pan and sauté for 5 minutes until slightly coloured. Remove from pan. Mix the tomato paste with the beef stock. Mix the rice flour and paprika together and coat the diced beef. Brown the spiced beef in two batches in the pan over medium heat (add a little oil if necessary). Remove the beef when browned. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and then add the bacon/mushroom/carrot and beef back to the pan with the stock, bay leaves and oregano. Stir to combine well. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2.5 hours - check every hour and stir thoroughly. Remove from the oven and stir through cream/yoghurt – replace lid to hold in heat for a few minutes before serving with mash, pasta or rice. Slow-cooker tip: if you prefer using a slow cooker then you just need to reduce the stock by 1 cup.
