Beef, Root Vegetable & Mejool Date Stew (serves 6-8)
This stew from the cookbook ‘Sababa’ by Adeena Sussman is wonderfully comforting and flavourful; there’s a subtle sweetness from the dates whilst the unusual addition of preserved lemon at the end of cooking adds an interesting depth to the finished dish. Wonderful!
1125g beef stewing meat cut into 2 inch chunks
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons flour (gluten-free if required)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, cut into chunks
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika
200ml dry white wine
825ml beef or chicken stock
2 thyme sprigs
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
900g mixed root vegetables (e.g. potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets)
8 Medjool dates pitted but left whole
1 tablespoon chopped Preserved lemon (or finely chopped fresh lemon)
- Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and roll the meat cubes to coat, shaking off any excess.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the meat until seared on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened, 6-7 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and paprika and cook, stirring, until slightly caramelised, 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and 2 teaspoons salt, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.
- Return the meat to the pot along with 600ml of the stock, the thyme and chilli flakes. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 1 hour, until the meat begins to become tender.
- Add the root vegetables and dates with the remaining 225ml of stock, return to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour more.
- Finally, stir in the preserved lemon 5 minutes before serving.
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