Ingredients
- 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) beef chuck steak, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) chunks
- 80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 3 onions, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 450 ml (16 fl oz) red wine
- 330 g (11½ oz/1½ cups) pitted prunes, chopped
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 rosemary sprigs, plus extra chopped rosemary, to garnish
- 2 × 400 g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) beef stock
- 50 g (1¾ oz/⅓ cup) chopped good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- 400 g (14 oz) cooked fresh pappardelle pasta
- finely grated rind of 1 orange
- grated parmesan, to serve
- crusty bread, to serve
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3). Season the beef with sea salt and ground white pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Add the beef in batches and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until browned all over, turning often and adding a little more oil as necessary. Remove each batch to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the dish over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the wine and boil for 5 minutes, or until reduced by half.
4. Return all the beef to the dish, along with the prunes, cinnamon sticks, rosemary sprigs, tomatoes and stock. Bring just to a simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid or a double layer of foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1½–2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
5. Remove the dish from the oven. If necessary, place some kitchen paper on the surface of the sauce to absorb any excess oil, repeating as necessary.
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the sauce to a warm plate and cover with foil. Set aside while finishing the sauce.
7. Simmer the sauce remaining in the casserole dish over high heat for 20 minutes, or until reduced by half, stirring often. Return the beef to the casserole and allow to heat through. Add the chocolate, then stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
8. For the next day, reserve half the beef for the cobbler. (The beef mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.)
9. Spoon the remaining beef over bowls of cooked pappardelle pasta. Garnish with extra rosemary, grated orange rind and parmesan and serve with crusty bread.
