Mandy Casserole

If you want to make something simple, tasty and I think impressive, then Mandy Casserole is exactly what you are after. I have named it after an utterly appreciated, yet completely under celebrated cook, my mother in law. It's traditional home cooking at its best and it's delicious.

This recipe will feed a family of six. Six adults might be a bit of a stretch, so you may want to double up if your feeding a bigger horde. Good news is any left overs can be frozen so, no need to feed the bin!

You will need:

A casserole dish with a lid

1lb or 500g of chopped beef

1 onion

1 red pepper (I like red but use what you've got, let's not get precious!)

2 carrots

1 tin of chopped tomato

3 desert spoons powdered bisto mixed up with 6 fluid ounces/170ml of cold water

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes of tabasco sauce

My mother in law adds in celery, but I think its the devil's food, so I'm omitting that from mine. She would also use a Bouquet Garni bag instead of mixed herbs, but I have never had those, hence she has advised mixed herbs for me.

Atora suet and self raising flour are needed, if you are going to make dumplings to go with it. (I highly recommend this.)

I tend to put some mash potato and greens on the side-green beans or broccoli are quick and simple.

Instructions:

(Now this is the best bit!)

Chop up the veg, put all the ingredients in the casserole dish and stir. (That's it!)

Ensure the liquid just covers the food to avoid drying out, if not add a little water, but don't drown it as its casserole, not soup!

Stick on the lid and put it in a preheated oven at 180ºC.

It does take three hours to cook. So, if you want dinner at 5pm, then you need to stick it in the oven at 2pm. I'm making this really clear so, you don't forget and try to cook this 30 minutes before its wanted and end up eating at 8pm! (This may have happened to me once!) I tend to cook this on a Sunday as an alternative to a roast, so 2pm is no problem, however, if you did want it mid week you could use a slow cooker.

Half way into the cooking time I like to check mine isn't drying out and add little more water if it is.

I place the dumplings on the top of the casserole about 30 mins from the end and at that point start thinking about the water for the greens.

Serve hot to your clan, and enjoy!

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