It’s only about another month until the clocks turn back and am sure you’ve noticed it’s already starting to get darker a little earlier each evening.

As Autumn approaches, we’ll be starting to think about comforting foods to get us ready for the cold weather, but too often it’s too easy to fall into the trap of substituting healthy food for more fattening snacks.

Why not try this delicious one pot dish. It will not only warm you through the winter months but will help your digestive health too.

Ingredients

Serves: 6

  • 450g diced beef stewing meat
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 170g tomato purée
  • 500ml beef stock
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 3 potatoes, cubed
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 250g mushrooms, quartered
  • 285g frozen garden peas, thawed
  • 1 red pepper

Preparation method

1.Remove any bits of fat from the meat. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté the meat until browned on all sides. Remove meat and set aside.

2. Add the onion and tomato purée to the pot and sauté over medium heat until onion is tender, stirring often. Return the meat to the pot along with the beef stock, combining with the onion and tomato purée mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until meat is tender.

3. Add the carrots, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper, and simmer, covered, for another 45 minutes. (Note: It may be necessary to add some water if the stew seems too thick.)

4. Add the mushrooms and the peas and allow stew to heat through. Remove bay leaf and rosemary sprig before serving.