These recipes are taken from Helen Rebanks' best-selling book
- These recipes are part of a feature with Helen Rebanks who spoke to Farmers Guardian all about her new, best-selling book, The Famer's Wife. You can read the full story here
These recipes are from Helen's book, all of which are from memories of her childhood or easy to make family meals that she herself cooks at home.
And autumn is the perfect season to try these cosy, seasonal dishes.
Beef shin stew with root vegetables and red wine
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 4.5 hours
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
500g/1lb beef shin, diced
2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well with salt and pepper
1 tsp lard or splash of olive oil (for browning the meat)
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 parsnip, cut into chunks
1 leek, cut into slices
1 onion, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, bashed
1 beetroot, cut into chunks, or a few whole button mushrooms
1 large glass/¼ pint red wine
rosemary, thyme or a bouquet garni (optional)
2 tbsp tomato puree
570ml/1 pint good beef stock
1 tbsp cornflour, mixed to a paste in a little water (optional)
greens and mash, or rice, to serve
Method
1. Toss the meat in the seasoned flour and heat a little lard or olive oil in a wide frying pan. Place the beef pieces in to brown them, turning when they have got a good deep colour but not stirring.
2. Place the browned meat in a slow cooker or casserole pot.
3. Gently cook the vegetables in the browning pan to soften them. Feel free to substitute the vegetables for whatever you like and have to hand. Turnip, squash or celeriac also work well in this.
4. Tip the vegetables into the slow cooker or casserole and stir into the meat.
5. Pour the red wine into the browning pan, sizzling it up and scraping everything from the pan into the liquid, then tip the wine mixture over the meat and vegetables and add herbs if using.
6. Add the tomato puree and stock and stir well, then put the lid on and set to cook on medium for 4 hours. It is best left to cool and be reheated the next day, as it naturally thickens. But if you are serving it straight away and the gravy is too thin, simmer without the lid on for a further 10 minutes to reduce it, or add the cornflour paste and cook on the hob for a further 10 minutes.
Serve with fresh greens like cabbage, beans or broccoli and some buttery mash or sweet potato mash. I also serve this with rice sometimes.
GRANNY ANNIE'S GINGER BISCUITS
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Makes 22
Ingredients
110g/4oz unsalted butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
170g/6oz caster or soft light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
340g/12oz self-raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Method
1. Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.
2. Beat the butter, syrup and sugar together, using a stand mixer or by hand.
3. Add the egg and combine.
4. Add the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda to form a dough.
5. Scoop into balls with a spoon or your hands, flattening slightly, and bake on the prepared tray for 15 minutes until golden.
6. Transfer with a palette knife to a cooling rack when they become crunchy.
