Beef Hot Pot

Beef is a great source of protein, those B vitamins, zinc and iron.  It is good for building muscles which is great for growing babies!

Serves 4 Adults and you should get 2 baby portions out of it too.

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Plain (all purpose) Flour, 520grams of stewing beef (this would work with any meat though), 4 carrots (approx 175g), 1 small onion (75g), 1 Green Pepper (capsicum), 350g of new potoatoes (would work with other potatoes including sweet), low salt stock cube and bouquet garni, 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce.

Method:  Preheat oven to 150'C/ 300'F/Gas Mark 2.  Make up plenty of stock.  Chop beef into chunks before tossing in flour. Pour olive oil into large lidded casserole dish, followed by beef and cook until browned.  Add onions, carrots and pepper.  Pour in stock so casserole dish is about halfway full with it and remove from heat stir in worcestershire sauce and add bouquet garni.  Slice potatoes thinly and arrange on top of ingredients in pot.  Cover with lid and cook in oven for about an hour.  After an hour is up you can take a small serving and set aside for baby whilst removing lid.  This is so it has plenty of time to cool down ready for when the rest is done (and the meat should be very tender and well cooked by now anyway) so baby doesn't burn themselves on it. If you are having half the next day just take a bit out for baby before reheating.  Put back in the oven uncovered and bake for a further hour.  To crisp potato topping place casserole dish under a hot grill for a few minutes before serving.

This is a lovely hearty dish on a cold day.  Ethan loved munching on the very soft vegetables and sucked all the flavour from the beef with great satisfaction.