Shin of Irish Beef Stew

 Shin of Beef Stew, with a load of spuds just boiled, ‘Champ’ potatoes or with a fine potato purée  every one has their preference, Chips and stew can be good at times for some. The long slow cooking of the carrots in this dish leaves them beautifully sweet and I look forward to them as much as the morsels of meat.

Recipe for 4 people.
454g / 1lb Diced Irish beef shin meat  (with out the bone- if there’s bone in purchase about 760g)
360g / 3/4lb carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 medium sized onion about 100g 1/4lb, diced finely
 2 sticks of celery, cut into four pieces
285ml / 1/2pt ‘Passata ‘sieved tomato (available to buy in most shops) if you don’t have it handy a tin of peeled plum tomatoes liquidised and sieved will do.
565ml /1pt water
Salt and white pepper to season
Vegetable or sunflower oil for browning the meat

Method
In a large pot add a couple of table spoons of oil and place on a high heat when hot add the diced meat and brown slightly this will take a couple of minutes, reduce the heat slightly then add the carrots onions and celery and season lightly with salt and pepper a pinch of each will do at this stage. Stir and place a lid on the pot for 2 mins this will help sweat the vegetables and release extra flavours into the stew.
Now add the Passata and bring the stew to the boil and cook for a further 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally this help sweeten out the tomato and take its sharp edge off. Then add the water bring to the boil again reduce the heat once this happens, place the lid back on and simmer for 2hrs approx, give it a stir now and again to be sure it doesn't stick or burn at the bottom, Taste liquid frequently to observe the development of flavours and adjust season towards the end of the cooking period.
Test a piece of the meat for tenderness; it should give easily to touch or bite.Check the consistency of the liquid if you think it is too thin increase the heat and reduce it to your desired state.

.nb. As with all stews this taste good the next day!

Serve with potato of your choice. to make a really nice potato purée use about 1.5kg or 3lbs of floury potato (suitable for mash or baking) peeled and placed in cold water to cover them in a pot with a good pinch of salt and little pinch of white pepper then  brought to the boil reducing the heat and simmering approx 20-25 mins depending on size. Once cooked drain the water and let them steam out for 4 to 5 mins, either put through a potato ricer or place in a food processor and purée them on low speed, to finish return to the pot and beat over a low heat adding a very generous amount of butter about 170g or 6oz (using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula) and a little milk roughly a 1/4pt or 100ml until you have a smooth purée, taste and adjust the seasoning.