Beef Stew Recipe – with a wee nip of whisky!

Beef stew is easy to make and very tasty.

Ingredients
6 thick braising steaks   2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
4 tbsp seasoned flour  250g shallots, peeled
25g butter   200g smoked bacon lardons
50g pecan nuts   500 ml beef stock
Bay leaves   3 tbsp chopped parsley
5 tbsp whiskey

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180 C

2. Coat the steaks with the seasoned flour, heat the oil and half the butter in a large frying pan and fry the steaks until sealed on both sides. Transfer to a casserole dish.

3. Add the garlic, shallots, bay leaf and half the lardons to the frying pan, fry until brown. Add the whiskey, bubble to reduce, then stir in the stock, scraping the sediment from the base of the pan. Pour over the beef.

4. Cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours until tender. If preparing ahead, cool, then cover and chill for up to 3 days or freeze. To thaw leave out overnight in a cool place.

5. To serve, reheat in the pan until hot. Fry the rest of the lardons in the remaining butter until golden brown. Add the pecans and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the parsley.

6. Serve the casserole with the pecan mix. Accompany with creamy mashed potatoes and a green veg.