Beef and butter bean stew

Beef and butter bean stew with smoked paprika

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
750g diced chuck steak or
Stewing beef
1 large onion finely sliced
1 red pepper sliced
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp hot paprika (optional)
125ml red wine
1 x 400g chopped tinned
Tomatoes
1 x 400g tin butter beans
100g pitted black olives
Brown sugar to taste
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Salt and pepper

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large casserole dish and fry the beef in the oil until lightly browned on all sides. Once browned, remove from the pan and set to one side. Add the remaining oil, onions and red pepper to the pan and fry over a low heat until softened. Then add the garlic, smoked paprika and hot paprika and fry for a further minute. Pour in the red wine and allow to come to the boil. Return the beef to the pan with the tomatoes. Place a lid on the pan and leave either on a low heat or in the oven set to 150°C/ gas mark 2 for 2-3 hours until the beef is tender. If the dish becomes a little dry during cooking add a little water. Once the beef is tender stir in the butter beans and olives. Cook for a further two minutes to allow the beans to warm through.

Finally check and adjust the seasoning, adding a little sugar if required. Stir in the chopped parsley just before serving. This stew can be made a few days in advance or frozen for up to three months. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes or wet polenta.