Instructions: Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3`.

Cut the beef into 4 cm cubes.

Toss in seasoned flour.

Heat a third of the butter and half the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat briskly in batches adding more oil if needed.

Transfer to a casserole.

Add a little more butter and oil to the pan.

Fry the onions until lightly browned.

Scoop into the casserole.

Fry button mushrooms and add to the casserole.

Pour the Guinness into the pan and bring up to the boil scraping in the brown residues from frying.

Stir in the tomato paste and sugar; pour over casserole.

Tie the herbs with string to make a bouquet garni and add to the casserole along with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook in the oven for 2 1/23 hours until the meat is tender.

Check occasionally; if it seems dry add a little hot water.

Saute the shiitake mushrooms in the remaining butter.

Stir into the casserole and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

Discard the bouquet garni adjust the seasoning and serve.

Sophies notes:
If you cant get shiitake mushrooms replace them with large meaty flatcaps.

Serves 6

Roast rack of lamb with herb crust

1 trimmed rack of lamb
30g stale breadcrumbs
20g unsalted butter melted
1l/22 tbsp mixed chopped fresh herbs (eg parsley chervil chives marpram thyme savory)

1 clove of garlic crushed (optional)

salt and pepper

To make the crust mix the breadcrumbs with the butter herbs garlic if using salt and pepper.

Keep turning (hands are best) until the crumbs have soaked up all the butter.

Lay the rack of lamb fat side upward in a lightly oiled small ovenproof dish or roasting tin.

Pat the crumb mixture firmly and thickly onto the fat side.

Preheat the oven to 230C (450F gas mark 8).

Roast the lamb for 20-30 minutes depending on how you like it cooked (I opt for a little over 20 minutes since it seems a shame to overcook such a tender sweet cut).

If necessary cover loosely with foil towards the end to prevent burning.

Let the meat rest in a warm place for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve simply cut down between the cutlets.

Its best to do this at the table as crumbs are bound to fall off in the process.

This way your fellowdiner gets to see how appetising the meat looks before you hack into it.

Sophies notes
Ask your butcher to trim the rack leaving a decent layer of fat to protect the tender juicy flesh in the severe heat of the oven keeping it moist and full of flavour.

Serves 2

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