BEEF WITH RED WINE, PEPPERS AND PARMESAN POLENTA

Preparation 30 minutes Cooking about 3½ hours Serves 8 If you have time, make this dish the day before so that the flavours mingle and deepen overnight. Simply reheat in a medium oven for 20 minutes until piping hot; the casserole can also be frozen for up to three months if you only want to serve half.

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1.5kg braising beef, trimmed and cut into

2.5cm chunks

2 medium onions, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 red peppers, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp plain flour

250ml red wine

1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes

pinch of sugar

2 sprigs of rosemary about

300ml hot beef stock

300g quick-cook polenta

50g grated Parmesan small handful of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 Heat the oven to 150˚C (130˚C fan oven) gas mark 2. Heat the oil in a large hob-proof casserole. Season the beef, then brown all over. Set aside.

2 Add the onions and celery to the casserole and fry for 15 minutes until softened. Add the peppers, garlic, fennel seeds and purée and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

3 Gradually blend in the wine and bubble until reduced by half. Stir in the tomatoes with the sugar and cook for 2 minutes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Add the beef, rosemary and enough stock to just cover the meat. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 2-3 hours until tender.

4 Cook the polenta according to the packet instructions. Stir in the cheese and season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper.

5 Divide the polenta between eight plates and top generously with the beef. Scatter with parsley and serve.