Cinnamon Beef Stew
from Home Made by Tana Ramsay
 This is a real winter dish. The smell of the cinnamon fills the house and gets everyone excited about the meal to come. If you can get hold of baby carrots, that would be lovely, but it is not at all necessary for the flavour. Make a day in advance, if possible. Serve with mashed potato.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 40 minutes plus minimum 30 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 2 1/2 hours
1 kg / 2 1/4 lb braising steak, cut into 2 inch cubes
200ml /7 fl oz marsala
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 stick of celery, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
6 tbsp olive oil
300g / 11 oz shallots, peeled
350g / 12 oz baby carrots,
scrubbed, topped and tailed or large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2.5/1 inch chunks
1 tbsp tomato puree
200ml / 7 fl oz water
2 bay leaves
2 large cinnamon sticks
250ml / 9 fl oz fresh beef stock
salt and black pepper
1. Put the beef into a mixing bowl and pour the marsala over it. Stir well to make sure the beef is separated and covered in wine. Cover and leave at room temperature for anything between 30 minutes and 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Put the onions, celery and garlic into a food processor and blitz until completely smooth. (Or finely chip the vegetables by hand.) Add the tomatoes to the food processor and blitz again.
4. Remove the beef from the marsala marinade and dry on absorbent kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade for use later.
5. Heat half the oil on a high heat in a casserole with a tight-fitting lid until it shimmers. Add the beef in batches and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate and put to one side. Add the remaining oil and cook the carrots and shallots until coloured at the edges. Return the beef to the casserole. Pour over the pureed vegetable and tomato mixture, then add the tomato puree, the reserved marinade and the water.
6. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, then season with salt and pepper. Tuck the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks into the stew, making sure they are completely submerged in the liquid. Pace in the oven and cook for 1 hour, then add the beef stock, season with salt and pepper and stir.
Return to the oven and cook for a further 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender. Check the seasoning before serving
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