Beef Stew

By tinaw100

A lovely winter warmer - beef stew with vegetables, pearl barley and lentils

Ingredients

• 350 g stewing steak
• 300 g onions
• 2 peppers
• 1 carrot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 100 g Puy lentils (they cost twice as much as normal lentils but taste a lot nicer - please try)
• 100 g pearl barley
• 1 glass of red wine
• 750 ml water
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• Worcester Sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (Hot Chilli paste)

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Marinate the beef with some Worcester Sauce and a clove of garlic.
2. Chop the onions and the peppers.
3. Peel and cut the carrot (first longitudinal through the middle and then into slices)
4. Add some salt and pepper and let sit for half an hour.
5. Fry the chopped onion in olive oil and add the beef once the onions start to change colour.
6. When the beef is brown, add the peppers and fry together for another couple of minutes.
7. Then add your glass of wine and 750 ml of water.
8. This is what is known in gastronomic circles as a beef stock cube :-) - I love the African expression "corrige maman" (freely translated as "correct your mum's cooking") for it - and that's what we will add here unless you had 750 ml of beef stock instead of the water...
9. Now it's time to add the dried spices (salt, pepper, paprika, oregano) and the carrot.
10. Now we add the pearl barley, the lentils and a teaspoon of Sambal Oelek (hot chilli) if you want a bit of spicyness in your stew - you can leave that out if you'd rather not have it spicy. Put a lid on the saucepan and let the stew stew for two hours (or until the beef is tender). Do stir occasionally - you shouldn't have to add water but if it all gets soaked up by the barley and the lentils, please add some.

Best with ...
homemade pasta or rice or potatoes or Spaetzle - accompanied by a green salad.