Hello Dear Reader,

If I were Worzel Gummage then I would say I’ve got my cooking head on. Some days, I just can’t be bothered and then I go through weeks when I’m Mrs Patmore. Well this is definitely a dish Mrs Patmore would rustle up only she would call it Carbonnade de Boeuf. The recipe, which originate in Belgium called for a dark Belgian beer but we had a lonely bottle of Tribute lurking from Christmas. I think any beer would do so long as it isn’t lager but a hoppy malty beer and I think this would work best with a can of Guinness.

Here’s the recipe - serves 4 and we’ll have ding-cuisine for lunch tomorrow.

400g of stewing steak - £1.70 - local butchers where I buy this in 2.35 kilo bags for £10.
4 carrots - 12p - sliced
1 leek - sliced - 20p
1 onion - finely diced - 4p
1 bottle of beer - 99p
stock cube
2 bread rolls - 20p (I pay more for gluten free)
wholegrain mustard
grated cheese - any strong cheese will do.- 30p
Gravy thickening - optional
Serve with half a bag of mixed frozen veg - stretch this with mashed potatoes or rice to go that bit further for bigger families.

total - £3.55 - 89p per person.

Before you go to work, everything except the bread, mustard and cheese into a slow cooker, add water if not covered. Switch on and go to work.

When you get home, heat the oven to a high setting or the grill and transfer the beery casserole to an oven proof dish.

Coat the bread slices with wholegrain mustard. Arrange them on top of the casserole with the mustard facing upwards. Sprinkle with cheese. I used Parmegiano as it goes a long way. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Whilst dinner was cooking, I quickly and simply laid the table. We always eat here, chatting and putting the world to right.

Here’s the finished result with the crusty, tasty cheesy croutons.

Another angle.

And the close up.

Over to you Dear Reader, who else has Mrs Patmore days? Some days, I can barely open a packet and it will something from the freezer that’s just ready and to hand. Who else has Letitia Cropley days? That translates into days when you are a decent cook and days when you can burn water…….that’s me!

I’m quilting tonight so this is a short and sweet post.

St Austell Brewery did not give me the beer, but if they want to then email me and I will come and collect it!

Until tomorrow,

Love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxxx