Jool's beef stew

Tried making Jamie Oliver's beef stew on the weekend, this apparently is his wife's favourite stew, I used gravy beef instead cos I love the taste of tendon and cartilage that has been cooked to soft jelly..

Used parsnips according to the recipe, an ingredient that I've never used before as well as Jerusalem artichokes (lovely roasted) and it just added this edge and flavour that is amazing.

1/2 a bottle of redwine, a colleague recommended us trying out clean skin wines, which in essence is some unknown unlabelled wine which I got for $6 a bottle for an unknown 2007 shiraz, it surprisingly drank really well too, wouldn't have thought it was a $6 bottle at all!

Topped it off with his recommendation of minced garlic, lemon and rosemary and it just makes it even better...perfect for a winter evening and masterchef on telly. No wonder hubby thinks he's getting fatter!

Recipe:

• olive oil
• a knob of butter
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• a handful of fresh sage leaves
• 800g/1¾lb stewing steak or beef skirt, cut into 5cm/2 inch pieces
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• flour, to dust
• 2 parsnips, peeled and quartered
• 4 carrots, peeled and halved
• ½ a butternut squash, halved, deseeded and roughly diced
• optional: a handful of Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and halved
• 500g/1lb 2oz small potatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• ½ a bottle of red wine
• 285ml/½ pint beef or vegetable stock
• zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• a handful of rosemary, leaves picked
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped