Beef stewed in Worcestershire.
This recipe is a minor adaptation from Jamie Oliver’s Great Britain. Some people revile him based on any number of excuses but the Editor cannot understand why. He seems genuine enough and the man can cook. He has no professional training but rather grew up in his parents’ public house, for our money an education par excellence, and his is a story of happy success capped by laudable efforts to improve the common weal in both the United Kingdom (kitchen training for juvies) and United States (improving the dire state of school lunches). Besides, he likes bold flavors and demonstrates a certain vision of divine excess--like emptying an entire bottle of Worcestershire into a pot for boiling beef. For four.
a 2 lb hunk of brisket or chuck- 4 unpeeled onions cut in half
- 4 coarsely chopped celery ribs
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 dried or 6 fresh bay leaves
- a 5 oz bottle of Worcestershire
- hot sauce
- a dozen or so whole peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon coarse salt (like Maldon)
- enough beef stock just to cover the meat by about ½ inch
- Dump everything in a pot just big enough to hold the meat and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to the merest simmer, cover the pot and let it go for about 2 ½ hours.
- Serve the beef with some of the strained stock, mashed potatoes and something green of your choice. Horseradish sauce is essential.
Notes:
-Oliver uses his version of the recipe only to make sandwiches. There is nothing wrong with that but the limitation is arbitrary and unfortunate.
-As he notes, you will get some excellent stock as a bonus from this recipe. Use it as you like but do use it.