Slow-cooked Beef and Harissa Stew
A rich, tender classic with a touch of heat
What I love about this recipe is its use of harissa — you can tone it down or dial it up, spice-wise — and how the heat is balanced by the ground almonds.
It's lovely at Christmastime, especially with a bit of added cinnamon (just throw a couple of whole sticks into the stew), but it's fantastic at any time of year.
It's easily doubled if you have a pot that's big enough, and it gets better the longer you cook it. Just make sure you top it up with stock if you're going for a long, slow cook.
Ingredients — serves 6
2 tbsp sunflower oil · 1kg good-quality stewing beef (beef chuck and neck pieces) · 1 onion, diced · 6–8 garlic cloves, peeled, left whole and crushed · A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and diced · 1–2 tbsp harissa · 1 tsp ground cumin / cumin seeds · 1.5 litres beef stock · 2 heaped tbsp ground almonds · Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Step 1 Heat the sunflower oil in a large heavy-based pot on a medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the beef and cook until browned and starting to caramelise. This caramelisation is the first step in a deeply flavourful stew. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl while you cook the rest.
Step 2 Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onion and garlic in the beef juices for 10 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the ginger and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the harissa and cumin and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Step 3 Add the beef back to the pot, mixing everything together well. Pour in the beef stock, add the ground almonds and give everything another good mix. Season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step 4 Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Add more stock if it's looking dry. You can also cover the pot and let it cook for even longer if you have time. The stew can be made the day before — just add a little more stock to reheat.
Step 5 When ready, garnish with a drizzle of tahini sauce, a scattering of pomegranate seeds and toasted flaked almonds, and a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh mint.
Nonchalant Meringues
Indulge without the fuss
Ingredients — serves 6
350g strawberries (or raspberries, or whatever fruit is in season) · 1 tbsp caster sugar · 1 lemon wedge · 180ml double cream · 6–8 shop-bought mini meringue nests · A handful of toasted flaked almonds · A handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
Step 1 Remove the stems from the strawberries, then slice into a large bowl. Add the sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice and gently toss to coat. Allow to sit on the countertop for at least 1 hour. This will transform the strawberries into their best, softest, sweetest versions of themselves, plus it will create a little strawberry juice for drizzling.
Step 2 Whip your double cream until it's the consistency you like. I prefer a loose, softly whipped cream that's just about setting, but others like a firmer cream.
Step 3 When you're ready to serve, arrange the meringues on a serving plate. Add a dollop of whipped cream on top of each one, then divide the strawberries evenly among the meringues, drizzling the strawberry juice on top too. Finish with a sprinkling of toasted flaked almonds and chopped fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Messy: Simple Recipes for Chaotic Cooks by Aoife McElwain is published by Blasta Books, and available in all good bookshops.