Beef Stew and Mashed Potatoes

Kel wrote a post a few weeks(months?) ago that got me craving for some stew with mashed potatoes. A few days later I made lamb stew but my husband brought the camera to work so I couldnt take a picture to make a post out of. Furthermore, I didnt make any mashed potatoes, we just ate it with garlic bread.
This week I had some beef leftover from making soy beef, so I decided to make beef stew, and I had some potatoes, so I also made spring onion mashed potatoes to go with the stew. The stew is easy to make, but it takes a while because you have to let it simmer for a while (hence the name 'stew'). I usually start making it in the morning to have it for lunch.

Beef Stew

Ingredients
125grams beef, cut into chunky cubes
2 tbsp plain flour
2 pip garlic sliced thinly
1 medium onion, cubed
1 carrot cubed
2 stalks celery cut into small chunks
1 red bell pepper, de-seed, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
1 stalk rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
2 cups beef stock
1 can tomato soup
1 cup peas (frozen or ready to eat)
3tbsp oilive oil
sugar, salt and pepper to taste

Method
Coat the beef with flour. Heat up the olive oil and toss around the beef in it till slightly browned.
Remove beef and set aside, without turning off the heat.
Saute garlic and onions till wilted.
Toss in the vegetables, bay leef and rosemary. Saute for 5 minutes.
Return the beef into the pot, pour over the beef stock and tomato soup. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your ladle as you stir to mix well.
Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer while covered for at least an hour or until beef is tender.
Add sugar (it cuts the acidity of the tomatoes), salt and pepper to your taste.
Toss in the peas.
Simmer uncovered till the stew reaches your desired thickness (I like mine slightly soupy).

Spring Onion Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
One large potato or 2 medium sized potatoes
One stalk spring onion
a splash of milk
a pat of unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Peel the potatoes and cut into large cubes. Boil till tender. Drain and return to pot.
Slice the spring onion into small pieces, toss into pot of hot potatoes.
Pour in milk. Add in butter and salt and pepper.
Use a masher to mash potatoes and ingredients and mix them around.

I ate the beef stew with the mashed potatoes only, but my kids ate them with some toasted bread.
Good dish to heat you up during the cold/rainy season :)