Asian Beef & Vegetable Casserole

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 1/2 kg casserole beef steaks, cut into 4cm pieces (such as chuck steak or gravy beef)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onions (for americans) or 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced (for australians)
• 3 carrots, peeled, cut into 2cm-thick slices
• 4 whole star anise
• 4 cm fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks lemongrass, pale section only, halved
• 500 ml beef stock
• 125 ml brandy
• 90 g tomato paste
• 300 g green beans, topped
• fresh coriander leaves, to serve
• steamed rice, to serve

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 180°c/350°-375°f/4-5 gas mark; place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper, add the beef and toss to coat; shake off any excess.
• 2 heat half the oil in a 4l (16-cup) capacity flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish over a medium heat; add half the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until brown; transfer the cooked beef pieces to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and beef, reheating the dish between batches.
• 3 add the onion and carrot to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft; add the star anise, ginger and lemon grass, and stir to combine.
• 4 add the beef, stock, brandy and tomato paste to the dish; cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender.
• 5 meanwhile, cook the beans in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until they are bright green and tender crisp; drain.
• 6 add the beans to the beef mixture and stir to combine.
• 7 top the beef mixture with coriander and serve with steamed rice.
• 8 freezing tips: cool at the end of step 6; transfer to an airtight container; lbel, date and freeze for up to three months; thaw in the fridge overnight; reheat the oven to 180°c (see above for conversions); reheat and continue from step 7.