Serves: 6

This is a freight train of a dish and in a good way.

Bottle of red wine; a kilo of steak, salsa verde; plenty of cooking time.

The result is so inevitably luxurious and warm, though like a freight train, not particularly unapologetic. You get out what you put in and what you get out is a rich, silken, winter stew that would belt the shit out of anything that came close to it.

Next day at work, the concentration of flavour doubled and before I had it in the microwave, a friend commented; afterwards, it was almost awkward. People don’t eat rich stews and potatoes for lunch on a Monday and the fact they are is beyond words.

11/10.

And here is the best part.

I didn’t cook it.

Nat did. On a Monday. Before I got home from work.

As if salsa verde wasn’t enough sprinkled on top (cutting through the richness), I didn’t have to lift a finger until it was served.

Try this one cold night this winter and revel in it.

Excuse my language, though it is a finger to winter and a bloody effective one at that.

Brilliant! And thank you Nat.

Sunday on a Monday!

Ingredients

Stew

750ml bottle good quality red wine (Seriously!)
1 kg skirt steak, cut into 3cm pieces
2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf (or 2 dry)
750ml beef stock (starting to see my point?)

Salsa verde

2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 cups mint leaves
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
150ml extra virgin olive oil

Mashed, boiled (with butter and parsley), whatever potatoes to serve; just don’t go overboard or this could be the end
Steamed green beans

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160c.
2. Place wine in a large saucepan/casserole (with a lid) over a medium heat and simmer until reduced by half. Set aside.
3. Toss the steak in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the steak in batches until well browned. Set aside.
4. Add onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden; add the garlic and the herbs.
5. Return the meat to the pan with the reduced wine and stock. Stir and season. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 ½ hours. (You have my point now, right?)
6. To make the salsa verde, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season.
7. Remove meat from pan/casserole and set aside. Place the pan/casserole back on the stock and cook until the sauce is thickened.
8. Return the meat and serve with the salsa verde and potato.
9. Loosen tie, remove shoes, be thankful for winter.