Backpacker Stew

Or perhaps you prefer them roasted??? Stew is nicer...

I made a stew the other week that was a big hit with our packpackers. So I made it again to recall what I did, and wrote it down. This is it. Just a simple one.

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot finely diced

1 stick celery finely diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

500 to 600g backpackers, oops, I mean, stewing beef

2 beef OXO cubes

2 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups water

1 generous tablespoon mango chutney or some other sweet vinegary spicy stuff, like sweet chilli sauce, branston pickle or HP fruity sauce etc.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

In a heatproof casserole, Dutch Oven type pot, like My Precious, heat 2 tablespoons oil, then gently fry the onion, carrot and celery, stirring all the time, for 8 minutes or so, till the onion is meltingly soft and sweetened off. Don't skimp this bit, it is an important flavour creator and the secret to converting onion haters. Like Adam.

Then add the arlic and fry another minute, then add the meat and brown it all over, stirring all the while.

Add the OXO cubes and the flour, stir together for a minute. It will go kind of gluggy looking, this is ok.

Then add the water and stirring all the while, bring to a simmer and it will thicken up a bit. Once there, add a large cubed potato, some mushrooms or some other wintry vegetables, what ever rocks your boat. I just used mushroom and potato. Chuck in the chutney now.

Then pop it in the oven for 2 hours.

Serve with rice for Adam and Mash for Anna. Double mash for KISA and me.