One Pot Ragu, Four Family Favourites

Ingredients

• 1 pack of SuperValu Irish stewing beef
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp SuperValu olive oil
• 25g SuperValu butter
• 2 SuperValu garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 SuperValu medium onion, diced
• 110g SuperValu carrots, diced
• 110g SuperValu celery, diced
• 2 tbsp SuperValu flour
• 600g SuperValu chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp SuperValu tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
• 200ml red wine (or replace with beef stock if not using wine)
• 300ml water
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 500g pappardelle pasta (or tagliatelle or fettuccine)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Method

1. Coat the beef with half the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large heavy-based casserole dish over a high heat.
3. Add half the butter.
4. Sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil and butter.
6. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened.
7. Stir in the carrots and celery and cook gently for 5 minutes.
8. Mix in the flour and allow to cook for 1 minute.
9. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, crumbled stock cube, red wine, water, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Stir well, then return the beef to the pot along with any resting juices.
10. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook over a very low heat for 2–3 hours, until the beef is tender enough to pull apart easily.
11. Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
12. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
13. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and cook the pappardelle according to the packet instructions until just al dente.
14. Toss the ragu and pasta together for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta well.
15. Serve immediately with plenty of freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Alternative Recipes

1. Loaded Baked Potatoes – Bake large potatoes until crisp on the outside and fluffy in the centre. Split open, spoon over the hot beef ragu and top with grated Cheddar cheese. Return to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve with a fresh green salad.
2. Beef Burritos – Warm large tortilla wraps and fill with the beef ragu, cooked rice, grated Cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce. Roll up tightly and serve with salsa and sour cream.
3. Beef Quesadillas – Spread the beef ragu over one tortilla wrap and sprinkle generously with grated Cheddar or mozzarella. Top with a second tortilla and cook in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp. Slice into wedges and serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.