As we head into the cooler months, my family love coming home to a hot dinner. Stews are heartier than a soup, but this beef and apricot number is just as easy to prepare! The apricots give it a sweetness that makes this recipe more appealing to children. You might have some leftovers, so we have some amazing recipe re-do ideas below (day 2 is our favourite).

Serves: 6
Prep: 20 mins   Cook: 60-90 mins

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 500g beef, cubed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 carrots, thickly sliced
• 3 potatoes or sweet potatoes, diced
• 2 zucchini, thickly sliced
• ½ cup dried apricots, cut into strips
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions

1. Heat oil in large, heavy based saucepan
2. Saute onion and garlic (cook for about 5 minutes until soft)
3. Add beef and cook until browned (about three minutes), stir often
4. Add spices and cook for two minutes
5. Add remaining of ingredients except spinach and stir
6. Simmer for 1 –1½ hours on medium to low heat (check every 30 minutes, add a little extra stock if needed)
7. One cooked, take stew off heat and stir through spinach
8. Enjoy stew on rice or mashed potatoes

Recipe Re-dos (make double and enjoy for a few days)

Day 1: On polenta

To make polenta, in a large pan mix 1 cup dried polenta and 4 cups boiled water. Cook on medium heat for five minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in 1/3 cup parmesan cheese.

Day 2: As a pie

Place stew in an ovenproof dish. Top with one sheet of puff pastry (thaw from frozen). Trim edges of pastry before cooking at 200 ºC for 30-40 minutes (until pastry is browned and puffed).

Day 3: Warm couscous salad

Follow instructions on couscous to make. While couscous is warm stir in the warmed stew. You can add some extra fresh baby spinach and roasted veggies.

Notes

You can substitute the beef with lamb.

You can make this recipe in a slow cooker (instead of simmering, slow cook on low for 6-8 hours).