In the final week of our month-long series with Neven Maguire, the chef shares some top batch cooking ideas. Brought to you in association with Dunnes Stores Simply Better.
Nothing beats preparation to make a busy week more manageable. I love pulling homemade food out of the freezer on a midweek morning, knowing there’s a nutritious meal the whole family can dig into later on. Always remember to allow the dish to cool completely before batching up into freezer portions, and never refreeze food that has thawed. Enjoy.
Beef Tagine
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 Packs Simply Better Irish Angus Casserole Beef Slices, diced
- 2 Tbsp Simply Better Organic Harissa Spice Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp Simply Better Organic Turmeric
- 2 Tsp Simply Better Organic Cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp Simply Better Italian Terra Di Bari Bitonto Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Jar Simply Better Italian Tomato Passata
- 2 Tbsp Simply Better Spanish Orange Blossom Honey
- 2 Onions, roughly chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
- 2.5cm (1 inch) piece of Root Ginger, peeled and chopped
- 450ml Chicken Stock
- 2 Tsp Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 100g Medjool Dates, cut in half and stones removed
- 100g Dried Apricots
- Flaked Almonds, to garnish
- Pomegranate Seeds, to garnish
- Couscous, to serve
Method
1. Mix together the harissa spice, turmeric and cinnamon in a bowl, add the diced beef and coat it in the spices. Cover with cling film and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours, or overnight is best.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4).
3. Place the onions, garlic and ginger in a food processor and pulse until finely minced.
4. Heat a large heavy based cast iron pan over a medium heat. Add half the oil to the pan and brown off the beef in batches. Once the beef has been browned add the onion mixture and cook for a few minutes until softened.
5. Pour the Passata and stock into the pan along with the honey, stirring to combine. Bring to the boil, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring in the dates and apricots halfway through, until the beef is completely tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced. Season to taste.
6. To serve, place the tagine in the centre of the table and garnish with the flaked almonds, pomegranate seeds and serve with separate bowls of warm couscous.
Irish Angus Beef Hot Pot
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1kg Simply Better Irish Angus Diced Beef
1 Tub Simply Better Irish Made Beef Gravy
2 Tbsp Simply Better Cold Pressed Irish Rapeseed Oil
1 Tin of Simply Better Italian Chopped Tomatoes
1 Tsp Simply Better Organic Garlic & Herb Seasoning
500ml of Irish Stout (If you are cooking for children you can replace the stout with chicken or beef stock)
10g Butter
1 Large Onion, roughly chopped
4 Carrots, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. Fresh Thyme Leaves
1 Tsp Tomato Puree
2 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
3 Large Potatoes, cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick
25g Butter, melted
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4).
2. Heat an ovenproof casserole dish over a medium to high heat. Add the rapeseed oil and 10g of butter, then add the beef and quickly sear it on all sides until golden brown - this can be done in batches. Once the beef is golden brown transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Return the casserole dish to the heat and add the onions and carrots, sauté for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the dish with a wooden spoon to coat the vegetables in any of the juices and oil from the beef. Return the browned beef to the dish and add in the garlic and herb seasoning and thyme leaves and mix well.
4. Add in the stout and stir well to deglaze the casserole dish. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, beef gravy and Worcestershire sauce before bringing back to the boil. Season to taste.
5. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened, then arrange the potatoes in an overlapping layer on top of the beef and brush with melted butter and scatter over some thyme leaves.
6. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 1 hour with the lid on. After an hour, increase the oven temperature to 200°C /400F / Gas Mark 6 and remove the lid from the casserole dish and cook the hot pot for a further 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and nicely golden. Serve straight to the table.
All ingredients available at Dunnes Stores.
Brought to you in partnership with Dunnes Stores Simply Better.
