Greek Beef Stew with Cheesy Polenta
Serves 4 to 6, (or perfect for 2 with plenty left over for lunches or the freezer)
We picked this up on Symi, on our honeymoon, and it has stayed with us ever since. It is not a fast recipe. It asks for most of a day, a low oven, and the patience to let a piece of chuck steak fall apart on its own. Think of that as the point rather than the obstacle: some things are better for being slow, and this is one of them.
One quirk before you start: the quantity of liquid below will look like far too much for a stew. It is not a mistake. This is a two-in-one recipe, and the second dish is waiting at the end, in the form of the best baked beans you will make this year, from nothing more than a few tins of butter beans stirred through the leftover sauce.
For the stew
1.2kg whole chuck steak
100ml extra virgin olive oil
salt, for seasoning the beef and to taste
1 brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 roma tomatoes, quartered
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tins crushed tomatoes
1 bottle red wine (nothing bolder than a shiraz)
1 beef stock cube
2 tbsp of The Larders Confit Chilli Oil
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp coriander seed
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp fennel seed
For the cheesy polenta
250gm finely milled polenta
1 litre chicken stock
150ml cream
1 knob butter
100g cheddar, grated
salt, to taste
To finish
3 tins butter beans, drained (cannellini will do if butter beans are hard to find)
crusty sourdough, well buttered, though this is less an option and more a requirement
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Find a roasting dish that will comfortably hold 2 to 3 litres of liquid, since it needs to.
Season the chuck steak generously, then brown it well in the olive oil, turning until every side is deeply caramelised. This is where the flavour starts, so do not rush it. Remove the beef and set aside.
In the same dish, brown the onion, garlic, and fresh tomato, letting them soften and break down in the beef fat left behind. Once they have collapsed a little, stir in the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chilli oil, all the dry spices, the stock cube, and the wine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, until it has reduced slightly.
Return the beef to the dish, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven for 5 hours. Check in on it each hour, both to make sure nothing is catching on the bottom and to confirm there is still enough liquid to keep it gently braising.
With around 30 minutes of cooking time left, bring the chicken stock and cream together in a pot and stir in the polenta. Let it hydrate for 10 minutes, then cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until it thickens and starts to bubble slowly and heavily. Stir through the butter and cheddar until fully melted in, then use a spatula to work out any lumps that may have stuck to the bottom. Season to taste, turn the heat down low, and keep covered until ready to serve.
Pull the beef from the oven. It should be tender enough to fall apart at the nudge of a spoon, and your kitchen should smell like it. Let it rest a moment before serving.
To serve
Spoon the polenta into the base of each bowl, then top with a generous piece of the beef and plenty of the rich sauce. Buttered sourdough on the side is not really negotiable.
Note
Stir the leftover sauce through the drained butter beans for a rich, ready-made baked beans, easily the best you will have had. Keep in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months, or in the fridge for up to a week.