As I write this, I have an overwhelming urge to sit down and eat a mince pie. Why? Because I’m cooking shin of beef. More particularly, because I’m cooking shin of beef in a winey, tomatoey, cinnamon sauce that is filling the house with the scent of mulled wine.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
- 1.3kg shin of beef, chopped into rough 2-inch cubes
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 3 red onions, roughly chopped
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 1/2 bottle red wine
- 3 cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C.
- Put the bulb of garlic, whole and entirely unpeeled, into a pan of hot water and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Then remove and allow to cool before peeling the cloves and mashing them. The result is a mellow garlic paste.
- Heat the oil in a large casserole and cook the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and cinnamon on a medium heat for about five minutes.
- Meanwhile, toss the pieces of beef in seasoned flour and then add to the pot with the vegetables.
- Add the wine, the chopped tomatoes, and the bay leaf.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 3 hours.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, and a leafy green vegetable.
