This ragout is the comfort dish that waits for us on my in law’s welcoming table every time we land on their door step, exhausted and famished from the long day of travel. When my turn came to recreated the magic, I naturally looked for shortcuts. My mother in law faithfully sears the meat before proceeding with the rest, making sure to add lots of nice brown flavour. But me? I like to live dangerously.

Ragout a la Maurice

Ingredients:

600 ml beef stock
1 can (156 ml) tomato paste
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
about 500 gr beef cubes (anywhere between that and 1 kg will do)
1 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 cans whole mushrooms (use fresh if you have any, about 250 gr)
2-3 carrots, sliced thickly
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large celery stalk, peeled and sliced thinly
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Choose a nice thick bottomed pot and pour in your stock, wine and tomato paste, reserving about 1/2 cup of stock on the side. Mix the flour with said stock until all the lumps are gone and add to your pot. Add meat. Bring to a boil stirring often then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a second boil, reduce heat and let simmer for an hour. Done.