Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.2kg/2½lb stewing beef
• chopped
• 2 marrow bones (ask your butcher for these)
• 1 onion
• peeled
• chopped
• 3 potatoes
• peeled
• chopped
• 1 swede
• peeled
• chopped
• 2 leeks
• trimmed
• chopped
• 2 carrots
• peeled
• sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints beef stock
• crusty bread
• to serve (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
• Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the beef pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• or until browned all over.
• Add the marrow bones to the pan and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the beef and marrow bones from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
• Add the chopped onions to the casserole the beef was cooked in. Fry in the pan juices for 1-2 minutes
• or until softened.
• Stir in the potatoes and swede and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Add the chopped leeks
• carrots and bay leaves and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook for a further 1-2 minutes
• or until just softened.
• Return the beef and marrow bones to the casserole
• then pour over enough beef stock to just cover the casserole contents.
• Cover the casserole with a lid
• then transfer to the oven and cook for 2½-3 hours
• or until the beef is tender.
• To serve
• spoon some of the lobscouse casserole into the centre of four to six serving plates and serve with crusty bread
• if desired.