Name: Stout-braised steak with stacked chips
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h 15 min
Total time: 3 h 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2 x 250g steaks of beef shin; 4 tsp olive oil; 500ml bottle of Guinness or other stout; 1 beef stock cube crumbled; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbsp brown sauce; 3 bay leaves; 4 shallots 3 halved with their skin still on, 1 chopped as finely as you can; 1 tsp grated horseradish or 2 tsp creamed; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 2 handfuls watercress; 600g large baking potato; 1 tbsp fine polenta or plain flour; 1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 x 250g steaks of beef
shin
4 tsp olive oil
500ml bottle of Guinness
or other stout
1 beef stock cube
crumbled
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp brown sauce
3 bay leaves
4 shallots
3 halved with their skin still on, 1 chopped as finely as you can
1 tsp grated horseradish
or 2 tsp creamed
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 handfuls watercress

For the chips

600g large baking potato
1 tbsp fine polenta
or plain flour
1 tbsp sunflower oil

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Season the steaks well on all sides, then heat a frying pan with 2 tsp of the oil. Brown the steaks well on all sides, then transfer to a snug casserole or narrow, deep baking dish.
step 2
Tip the Guinness into the frying pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any stuck meaty bits. Pour over the steaks along with the stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, brown sauce, bay and skin-on halved shallots (leave the skins on to save time – they are removed from the sauce later). Cover the dish tightly with foil first, then add the lid (or a flat baking tray). Bake in the oven for 3 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Can be done up to 1 day in advance, then cooled and chilled.
step 3
For the chips, 1 hr before serving, turn up oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil while you cut the potatoes into as many 3cm fat chips (save the trimmings in a bowl of water and use for mash another night). Par-boil for 3 mins, then drain and let steam-dry for a few mins. Tip onto a baking tray, toss with the polenta or flour and some sea salt, then drizzle over the oil and toss again. Roast for 45 mins until really crisp and golden.
step 4
When the chips have 20 mins left, lift your steaks from their cooking liquid and use a few sheets of baking parchment to wrap them in a parcel, followed by foil. Put on a low shelf in the oven to heat through for 20 mins. Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid into a pan, discarding the herbs and shallots. Boil fiercely until reduced by three-quarters. Taste for seasoning, then keep warm.
step 5
Whisk the chopped shallot, horseradish, remaining 2 tsp oil, vinegar and 1 tsp water with some seasoning, then use to dress the watercress.
step 6
To serve, carefully open the meat parcel over your saucepan to catch any juices, and add your beef to the sauce to coat. Stack your chips between 2 plates and add a pile of dressed watercress. Lift a steak onto each plate and spoon over the syrupy juices. Any extra can be served in a jug on the side.