Day 16: Leftover Beef Stew with Mash

I used to think leftovers were pretty lousy. This challenge has forced me to learn to love them. I would like to post something new everyday, but with a challenge like this the reality is that you end up eating a lot of the same thing. So far, I've made my garlic chili noodles three times. We've had pizza twice. We spent the past weekend eating at home which was enjoyable, but as expected, the headlining spaghetti on Friday made an encore appearance on Saturday. Even as I type this, the stew I made Sunday is simmering away -again.

The upside to this is that I've managed to stick to my budget. Since I am American and completely obsessed with stats, let's take a look at the numbers:

Week 1: £0
Week 2: £10
Week 3: £1.97 (so far)
To be completely accurate, I should note that there was a trade out between Tom and I, as I spotted him £5 for breakfast at the Regency Cafe. To return the favour, he purchased some beef, milk, eggs, apples, and mushrooms at my request. Like a squirrel, I had been hording away the stash I'd purchased from Longdan and Taj. All week I had been reluctant to give up my precious carrots, potatoes, and onions, but now with beef and mushrooms, I had all the major players for a hearty stew.

The one thing they always say about stew is that it's better the next day. Lucky for me, that saying holds true. If I am in a hurry (or watching my £), I buy the prepackaged beef that's already cubed. If I want to be fancy, I opt for beef short ribs, cut into 3 inch pieces.

Beef Stew with Mash

500 g of beef stew meat
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp of cornflour (cornstarch)
1 heaping tsp of smoked paprika
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 tsp of crushed red chillies
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large carrots, cut lengthwise and sliced
2 celery stalks, cut lengthwise and sliced
5-6 large mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 can of diced tomatoes
a bit of passata
1 can of Guinness stout
fresh parsley

In a plastic, resealable bag, combine the beef with the salt and pepper through to the olive oil. Give the bag a good shake and really mix the marinade well. Let sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Heat a large pot on medium high heat. When hot, sear the beef and cook for 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes. If the ingredients or spices start to stick, add a small amount of water to deglaze the pot. Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to coat the vegetables and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, passata, and the Guinness. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally so the bottom doesn't stick or burn. When you are ready to serve, add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf and stir in fresh parsley.

I serve my stew over mash (that's mashed potatoes for Yanks). 5-6 large potatoes will usually cover this amount of stew if you are serving a big group.