Caribbean Slow-Cooked Beef Stew
Pumpkin, squash and shallots are all in season at this time of year and as we go into autumn why not try a lovely beef stew originating in Trinidad and Tobago. Scotch bonnet chillies are very fiery so err on the side of caution if you don’t want it too hot. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 kg diced beef shin
- 2 tsp salt
- Olive oil
- 4 tbsp demerara sugar
- 250g shallots, finely chopped plus 8 peeled and left whole
- 200g carrots, finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 litre beef stock (from cubes)
- 1 scotch bonnet chilli kept whole
- 500g pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 2-3 cm cubes
- Cornflour for thickening
For the seasoning
- Generous handful of coriander stalks and leaves
- 20g allspice
- ½ scotch bonnet, deseeded
- 3-4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- 1 red pepper, roughly chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 ½ cm piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 8 garlic coves
- Bunch of salad onions
- 2tsp salt
- 100ml olive oil
Instructions
- Put all the seasoning ingredients in a blender and whizz to a smooth paste. Put the beef in a bowl, toss with the salt then add the paste and stir until fully coated. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat a large casserole and drizzle in a little olive oil. Fry off the beef in batches searing until brown all over and remove to a plate.
- Melt the sugar in the casserole over a low heat until bubbling then add the shallots, carrots and a splash of water. Put the lid on and cook for 15 mins until golden and caramelised.
- Return the beef to the casserole with the tomato puree and stock and add any leftover seasoning. Bring to the boil, drop in the whole scotch bonnet, put a lid on and then reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
- After 2 hours, add the squash and whole shallots, then cook for a further hour until the beef is tender. Adjust the seasoning and then mix some cornflour with cold water and add a little at a time to thicken. Serve with rice and black eye beans.