Mmmbeeeeefs

Oh man!  This is a -good- one!

Slow cooked beef casserole - serves 4 (approx 470kcals per portion):-

• 500g diced/cubed braising beef
• 2 medium potatoes - cut into 8ths or 12ths
• 2 medium/large carrots - sliced thickly
• 2 medium/large parsnips - sliced thickly to the fat bit, then quartered at the fat bit
• 2 medium onions - roughly chopped
• 8-10 cloves garlic
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4tbsps tomato puree
• 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• handful of fresh sage leaves - chopped
• 2x beef stock cubes or 1l beef stock
• 4 bay leaves - bruised
• 5 large plum tomatoes - chopped into 8ths
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt

Put the oil into a pan and heat.  Toss the beef chunks in the flour, add the beef chunks to the hot oil and brown.  Once the beef is browned, add the contents of the pan including any leftover dusting flour to a casserole dish/slow cooker with all of the other ingredients (add 800ml water if using stock cubes rather than stock).  Cook for 4-5 hours until the beef falls apart easily.  Season to taste with salt and pepper about 15 minutes before the end of cooking.  Remove the bay leaves and serve hot, with fresh crusty bread and a glass of fat red wine if desired, or just by itself.