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1
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3`.
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2
Cut the beef into 4 cm cubes.
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3
Toss in seasoned flour.
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4
Heat a third of the butter and half the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat briskly in batches adding more oil if needed.
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5
Transfer to a casserole.
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6
Add in a little more butter and oil to the pan.
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7
Fry the onions till lightly browned.
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8
Scoop into the casserole.
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9
Fry button mushrooms and add in to the casserole.
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10
Pour the Guinness into the pan and bring up to the boil scraping in the brown residues from frying.
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11
Stir in the tomato paste and sugar; pour over casserole.
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12
Tie the herbs with string to make a bouquet garni and add in to the casserole along with salt and pepper.
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13
Cover and cook in the oven for 2 1/23 hrs till the meat is tender.
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14
Check occasionally; if it seems dry add in a little warm water.
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15
Saute/fry the shiitake mushrooms in the remaining butter.
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16
Stir into the casserole and return to the oven for 5 min.
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17
Throw away the bouquet garni adjust the seasoning and serve.
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18
Sophies notes:If you cant get shiitake mushrooms replace them with large meaty flatcaps.
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19
Roast rack of lamb with herb crust
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20
1 trimmed rack of lamb30g stale breadcrumbs20g unsalted butter melted1l/22 tbsp mixed minced fresh herbs (eg parsley chervil chives marpram thyme savory)
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21
1 clove of garlic crushed (optional)
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22
salt and pepper
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23
To make the crust mix the breadcrumbs with the butter herbs garlic if using salt and pepper.
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24
Keep turning (hands are best) till the crumbs have soaked up all the butter.
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25
Lay the rack of lamb fat side upward in a lightly oiled small ovenproof dish or possibly roasting tin.
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26
Pat the crumb mix firmly and thickly onto the fat side.
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27
Preheat the oven to 230C (450F gas mark 8).
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28
Roast the lamb for 20-30 min depending on how you like it cooked (I opt for a little over 20 min since it seems a shame to overcook such a tender sweet cut).
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29
If necessary cover loosely with foil towards the end to prevent burning.
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30
Let the meat rest in a hot place for 5 min before serving.
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31
To serve simply cut down between the cutlets.
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32
Its best to do this at the table as crumbs are bound to fall off in the process.
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33
This way your fellowdiner gets to see how appetising the meat looks before you hack into it.
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34
Sophies notesAsk your butcher to trim the rack leaving a decent layer of fat to protect the tender juicy flesh in the severe heat of the oven keeping it moist and full of flavour.
