Beef October recipe

The Perfect Recipe for October: Spicy Beef Hotpot with Roast Squash Wedges!

08 Oct 2018

Packed with autumnal flavours and succulent beef for the ultimate October comfort food, this recipe uses simple seasonal ingredients that’re guaranteed to be loved by everyone in the family… It’s guaranteed to warm up your senses!

Ingredients:
• 100ml of rapeseed oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1.5kg beef shin, boned, trimmed and cut into small cubes
• 300g of cooking chorizo, cut into slices
• 2 tbsp of plain flour
• 1 tbsp of sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp of ground cumin
• 1 tbsp of black treacle
• 1 tbsp of tomato purée
• 1 dried ancho chilli, soaked in hot water
• 500ml of beef stock
• 400g of tinned chopped tomatoes, (1 tin)
• 400g of chickpeas, (1 tin)
• 1 large squash, butternut or festival, seeded and cut into thin wedges with skin left on
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Place a casserole dish or stockpot on the hob over a medium heat and add half of the rapeseed oil. Once the oil has warmed up, add the finely chopped onion, peppers and garlic and stir to coat. Bring the heat down…
2. Cook slowly for about 15–20 minutes until everything is soft and sweet, then remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl.
3. Next, place the beef shin chunks in a bowl with the flour, salt and pepper and mix together, so that the meat gets a light and even coating. Return the casserole to the hob over a medium-high heat, add the remaining oil then brown the shin in batches.
4. The bottom of your casserole will probably be crusted with meaty bits and pieces, so deglaze with a good splash of water, using a metal spoon to scrape and lift everything up. Pour the thickened liquid over the beef
5. Add the chorizo slices into the casserole, stirring as they begin to sizzle and release some of their own oil. After a couple of minutes, place the beef back into the pot, along with the softened vegetables, and mix together…
6. Add the paprika and cumin and stir to coat, then after another 2 minutes add the tomatoes, beef stock, black treacle and ancho chilli. Taste for seasoning
7. Bring up to a simmer then cover with a lid, leaving it slightly ajar so that steam can escape and that the sauce can slowly thicken
8. After an hour, empty the tin of chickpeas into the hotpot and cook for another 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Throughout cooking, return every now and then to stir
9. To cook the squash, preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
10. Place the squash wedges on a baking tray and drizzle with oil, mixing together to ensure they are evenly coated. Season with some salt and pepper and place into the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning them over halfway through
11. To serve, divide the rice between plates then add a generous helping of the beef shin hotpot. Arrange some of the roast squash wedges on the side and top the meat with some sour cream, a scattering of pumpkin seeds and some chopped coriander!