Ingredients

• 500g extra lean minced beef
• 1 large onion
• 1 leek
• 3 medium or 4 large carrots
• Celery if available
• Butternut squash / sweet potato
• Optional garlic
• 400ml beef stock (made with one cube)
• ¾ pint red wine
• Bay leaf
• Bouquet Garni
• Pinch salt and pepper
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 1 sachet Kallo red wine gravy, about 400ml water
• 2 heaping tsp cornflour
• Herbs: bay, thyme, rosemary (if no bouquet garni)

Method

1. Sauté the onions and leeks until golden; add the carrots and sweet potato / butternut squash and sauté for a few minutes. Push to one side of the pan.
2. Brown the mince and break up. Once browned, stir the veg back through.
3. Pour in the red wine and stir; allow to reduce and thicken. Add the stock, tomato puree, gravy, bouquet garni and bay leaf; simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste.
4. Stir and simmer for a moment. Put in a preheated oven at 160C for around two hours. Remember to stir periodically. Shortly before serving, adjust thickening by adding a little cornflour paste – return to oven for about 15 minutes and check.
5. Serve with mashed potatoes and sweetcorn / broccoli etc.

Mire poix: 1 onion : 1 carrot : 1 celery + leek and garlic