Hearty winter bake

Warming bakes, casseroles and stews feed the soul and comfort the heart in the depths of winter. You don’t need fancy equipment and you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. They are adaptable and easily flavoured with spices and herbs. They are also a great way to make use of root vegetables when they are well priced. You can make a large batch and feed the family for days or pop into the freezer to re-heat on those busy nights when you just want to relax with the family.

It is quiet in our garden at present. With our food enterprise getting busier our time in the garden is shorter to match the length of these chilly winter days. In saying that, we still have a good supply of spinach and our parsley has been thriving. Now is the time to look forward to spring and thinking about planting seedlings indoors to transplant when the weather starts to warm.

This recipe has become a family favourite – an uncomplicated winter dish full of flavour from readily available winter ingredients.
 

Beef Slow Bake

1kg beef: lower cost cuts such as blade, chuck, or rump work well.
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2–3 kumara
¼ pumpkin cubed
4 carrots
1 onion
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1–2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 apple
1 lemon, juice and rind
2 cups water or stock
 
Heat frypan to high and add coconut oil, brown meat in batches on both sides and place in a casserole style dish.
In the same pan sauté on a medium heat the onion with the maple syrup to caramelise approx 2 minutes and place in the casserole dish.
Deglaze the pan by adding half the water and let simmer for a minute.
Pour into the casserole dish over the beef and onions.
Scatter the pumpkin, carrot, kumara and apple cubes over the top.
Sprinkle over the fennel seeds and lemon rind.
Squeeze over juice and tip in liquid from pan and the rest of the water.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for two hours in a slow oven.
 
Tip: We like to toss through a couple of good handfuls of baby spinach before serving. The heat of the dish with wilt the spinach and it’s a great way to add some greens and extra nutrition to this meal. This dish is a hit with our kids and proves our philosophy, which we share with American cook Julia Child: “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients” (Julia Child).
 
This is the final column in this series from Two Spoons. Hibiscus Matters will welcome a new local food columnist in our September 2 edition.