Sweet Potato Beef Ragu

made with a carrot sauce

This beef stew is made using a rich sweet potato and carrot sauce and slow cooked beef. Perfect for all the family, make double portions to feed a family of four. This also freezes brilliantly. Tip: The longer you cook this dish, the more the flavour will intensify and you will get a more tender beef.

Preparation: 20 minutes | Cooking: 40 minutes | Makes 6 portions | Suitable for freezing | Suitable from 8 months

Ingredients

  • ½ medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • ½ leek, trimmed, washed and finely chopped
  • 20g Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • ¼ tsp fresh chopped rosemary or a pinch of dried rosemary
  • Glug of olive oil
  • 600g stewing beef (featherblade or brisket or boneless chuck works well), cut into nice large chunks
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400g)
  • 6 button mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves taken off and chopped finely
  • 1 carrot, peeled and chopped

Method

  • Add a glug of olive oil to a large heavy based saucepan or casserole dish with a lid and put it onto a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add in the onions and cook until they start to soften, around eight minutes. Mix in the garlic, leek, carrot and mushrooms, and reduce the heat slightly. Cook for around 10 minutes, occasionally stirring and adding a splash of water if the vegetables start to catch on the bottom of the pan.
  • Once the vegetables have softened, add the beef and let it brown all over.
  • Once the beef has been sealed, add the sweet potato, thyme and tomatoes (once you’ve emptied the tin into the pan, fill it half way with water and swill round to get all the left over tomato and pour the tomato-ey water into the pan with the vegetables and beef).
  • Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat and bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can put in a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours, or cook for an hour in the oven at 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
  • Once cooked and the meat is tender, mix in the cheese and puree.

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