Slow Cooked Beef Casserole

This recipe has so much flavour as you brown the meat and leave it to marinade over night. It is perfect for a lunch or dinner party as you can prepare the meal the night before and then cook it in the oven while you set the table and prepare for your guest to come. It is also a wonderful family meal.

1kg beef cut into bite size piece. I use a combination of brisket and beef shin
400ml dry red wine
350ml beef or vegetable stock
zest and juice of 1 orange
3 medium carrots sliced
12 small onions
2 sticks celery
1 red onion, studded with cloves
1 cup of peas
15g dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
 bouquet garni - use rosemary, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, cinnamon stick tied together with string

Heat some olive oil in a large casserole dish. Brown the beef and place in a non metal baking tray.
Deglaze the pan with a little red wine, making sure you scrape the meat remnants. Add the rest of the wine, orange juice and zest, and pan juices into the baking dish, cover and marinade overnight.
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Saute the small onions, carrots and celery in a little olive oil. Use the casserole dish so that you can put it straight into the oven. Add the beef and wine marinade, then the sock, peas, porcini, large onion and bouquet garni. Season and cook with the lid on for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Remove the large onion and bouquet garni before serving.
Serve with mashed potato or rice

Hint: I use any leftovers as the filling for a meat pie - see notes from my kitchen puff pastry.