BECAUSE SHE’S WORTH IT
Give Mom a break and make easy one-pot supper dishes, a dessert on a stick and something delicious for tea Recipes and pictures: Le Creuset, www.lecreuset.co.za
Easy meals to make for mom
BEEF CASSEROLE WITH DUMPLINGS
SERVES 4-6 EASY 160 MINS including baking Casserole: 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil 30ml (2 tbsp) butter 400g shallots — peeled and cut in two if large, or use 1-2 large onions, chopped 2 sticks of celery, sliced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1.2kg stewing steak, cut into 2.5cm cubes 30g (60ml) flour, plus extra 3 cloves garlic, crushed 45ml (3 tbsp) tomato purée 45ml (3 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce 15ml (1 tbsp) coarse grain mustard 5ml (1 tsp) coarsely ground black pepper 2 fresh bay leaves 15ml (1 tbsp) dried thyme 600ml hot beef stock 500ml (2 cups) beer or stout Salt to taste Dumplings: 140g flour plus extra for rolling 70g vegetable suet or butter
7.5ml (1½ tsp) baking powder 2.5ml (½ tsp) salt and pepper 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked off stem 30-45ml (2-3 tbsp) water
To finish: 45ml (3 tbsp) chopped parsley Preheat the oven to 170°C. Heat 15ml oil with the butter in the casserole over a low to medium heat. Add the shallots, celery and carrots and sauté gently for 8-10 minutes until softened and lightly coloured. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Heat the remaining oil in the casserole and cook the meat in batches until lightly browned, removing each batch from the pan before adding the next. Return the meat and vegetables to the casserole, sprinkle over the flour and stir in the garlic, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Add the bay leaves, thyme and stock and stir in the beer. Bring to a simmer, place the lid on and transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-1¾ hours.
Remove from the oven, stir and season with a little salt. For the dumplings, increase the oven heat to 190°C. Combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings with the herbs and add enough cold water to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough. Portion into 8 pieces, lightly dust your hands with the extra flour and roll each into a ball. Place on top of the casserole and replace the lid. Return to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Before serving sprinkle with chopped parsley.
COQ AU VIN BLANC
SERVES 4 EASY 130 MINS including baking 200g rindless streaky bacon, cut into pieces 4 chicken thighs 4 drumsticks Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 onion, finely chopped 10 small pearl (pickling) onions, peeled 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled 250g button mushrooms, wiped clean and halved 30g (¼ cup) flour 10ml (2 tsp) tomato paste 750ml (3 cups) white wine 750ml (3 cups) chicken stock 8 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 125ml (½ cup) cream Fresh parsley, to garnish Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large casserole, fry the bacon until crisp and all the fat is rendered. Transfer the crisp bacon bits to paper towel to drain. Set aside. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown in the hot bacon fat. Remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the chopped onion, pearl onions and garlic cloves, and fry for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes or until they’ve released most of their liquid and have begun to brown. Add the flour and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly add the wine and stock, stirring constantly. Add the thyme, bay leaves, bacon and chicken. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the liquid is slightly thickened. Cover, place in the oven and cook for about 1½ hours or until the chicken is very tender. Gently stir in the cream. Garnish and serve.