Name: Marmite carbonnade
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 85g unsalted butter plus extra for spreading; 4 onions halved and sliced; 3 garlic cloves peeled and smashed; 1.5kg/3lb 5oz stewing steak cut into large cubes; 850ml beef stock; 1½ tbsp plain flour; 400ml can stout; about 10 thyme sprigs, tied into a bunch; 2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar; 2 tsp red wine vinegar; 2-4 tbsp mushroom ketchup (optional, see Know-how, below); 1 celery heart, trimmed and sliced; about 2 tsp Marmite; about 25 thin slices French bread (about ¾ baguette - day-old is fine)

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Marmite carbonnade

Marmite carbonnade

Good Food team

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Serves 8

Easy

Prep: 40 mins

Cook: 2 hrs and 10 mins

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.7 ratingsRate

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This satisfying beef casserole is all the beefier for its crisp and savoury Marmite toasts

Freezable (Can be frozen without toasts)

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

85g unsalted butter

plus extra for spreading
4 onions

halved and sliced
3 garlic cloves

peeled and smashed
1.5kg/3lb 5oz stewing steak

cut into large cubes
850ml beef stock
1½ tbsp plain flour
400ml can stout
about 10 thyme

sprigs, tied into a bunch
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2-4 tbsp mushroom

ketchup (optional, see Know-how, below)
1 celery

heart, trimmed and sliced
about 2 tsp Marmite
about 25 thin slices French bread (about ¾ baguette

- day-old is fine)

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal520
fat27g
saturates13g
carbs24g
sugars7g
fibre2g
protein44g
salt1.3g

low

Method

step 1

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt half the butter in a large cast-iron casserole over a medium heat, add the onions, then fry for 8-12 mins until golden, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic just before the end, then transfer everything to a bowl. Turn the heat up a little, season the beef with salt and pepper and seal it in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, adding a knob of the remaining butter with each one. Deglaze the pan with a little stock as you go along.
step 2

Return the onions and beef to the pan, sprinkle over the flour, stir, then pour over the stout and stock. Add the herbs, sugar, vinegar, mushroom ketchup (if using) and some seasoning. Bring the liquid to the boil, cover, then cook in the oven for 1½ hrs. If serving on the day, skim the fat off at this stage.
step 3

Remove the casserole and turn the oven up to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Discard the herbs, check for seasoning, then add the celery. Mix the remaining butter with about 2 tsp Marmite, then spread it over the slices of French bread on one side. Arrange the slices, Marmite-side up, overlapping on top of the casserole, then return to the oven for another 30-40 mins until the toasts are golden and crisp. Serve straight away.

RECIPE TIPS

KNOW-HOW

Mushroom ketchup, a traditional condiment in use since Victorian times, adds an earthy richness to sauces, stews and soups. Geo Watkins is the most common brand – find it in the sauces section of most supermarkets for £1.09/170ml bottle.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2009

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A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.7 ratings

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