Beef & chorizo ragout with crispy potato stacks
summary：Looking for a cold remedy? Richly flavoured with red wine, chorizo and paprika, this beef stew is the culinary equivalent of a warm blanket....
Ingredients
• 2kg beef chuck steak, excess fat trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 1 chorizo sausage, thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 800g can diced tomatoes
• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) beef stock
• 125ml (1/2 cup) red wine
• 90g (1/3 cup) tomato paste
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bunch (about 6 bulbs) spring onions, trimmed, halved lengthways
• Fresh sage leaves, to serve
Crispy potato stacks
• 30g butter, melted
• 1.2kg medium Golden delight potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
• 125ml (1/2 cup) double cream
• 2 tbs finely chopped fresh sage
Method
1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook one-quarter of the beef for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat, in 3 more batches, with the remaining beef, reheating pan between batches.
2. Heat remaining oil in pan. Cook chorizo for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic and paprika and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Stir in the beef, tomato, stock, wine, tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours.
3. Add spring onion to the pan. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes or until the beef is tender and liquid thickens.
4. Meanwhile, to make crispy potato stacks, preheat oven to 200°C. Divide the melted butter between eighteen 80ml (1/3-cup) capacity muffin pans. Combine the potato, cream and sage in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Divide the potato mixture among the prepared muffin pans, stacking the potato slices. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
5. Arrange potato stacks, overlapping slightly, over the beef. Top with sage leaves. Serve with any remaining potato stacks on the side.