Tuscan beef with creamy polenta

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The combination of beef, capers, herbs, olives and wine left to bath together overnight guarantees a casserole with deep flavours. Perfect on cooler nights.

Prep: 20 mins + marinating time

Cook: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves 6

Excellent source of iron

Ingredients

750g Quality Mark diced beef for casseroling
3 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 onion
½ cup black olives
½ cup sultanas or raisins
¼ cup capers, rinsed
1½ cups red wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon plain flour
¼ cup tomato paste

Creamy Polenta

3½ cups light chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1¼ cups instant polenta
50 grams unsalted butter
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼-1/3 cup cream (optional)

Method

Place the diced beef in a large lidded non-metallic container with the celery, onion, olives, sultanas or raisins and capers. Add the wine and sprinkle over the sage, rosemary, salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Lift the beef from the container, reserving the marinade, brown the beef in a dash of oil in a large ovenproof frying-pan or flameproof casserole, being careful not to burn it.

Mix the stock, flour, and tomato paste together and add to the beef in the pan with the remaining marinade. Bring to a simmer and cover.

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 1½ hours until the beef is tender. Stir 3-4 times during the cooking. Serve the casserole with polenta, grilled or plain, or creamy potatoes or kumara.

Creamy Polenta

Bring the chicken stock and salt to the boil in a large saucepan. Gradually pour in the polenta, whisking to avoid lumps, Using a wooden spoon, stir the thickened mixture for about 5 minutes over a low heat. Stir in the butter, Parmesan and cream, if using.

_{This recipe is courtesy of Allyson Gofton's cookbook, Good Food Made Simple, photography by Alan Gillard}

Suitable Cuts
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks

Nutrition Information Per Serving

Serving size: 492g

Energy kJ (kcal)	2147 (512)
Protein (g)	36.3
Fat (g)	21.0
Saturated (g)	9.1
Carbohydrate (g)	30.8
Sugars (g)	14.3
Sodium (mg)	535
Iron (mg)	4.7
Zinc (mg)	7.9
Vitamin B12 (ug)	5.3
Vitamin D (ug)	0.4
Selenium (ug)	8.4

Polenta is a term that covers both the milled maize grain and the porridge-like dish made from the grain. Coarse cornmeal/polenta takes up to 40 minutes to cook and requires constant stirring, while the more common instant polenta is cooked in 5-8 minutes.
Polenta generally needs salt and flavourings such as butter and cheese. Serve porridge-like polenta with stews and sauces, or allow it to set in a slice-tray and chill it before cutting it into shapes and pan-frying.