Beef and Carrot Stew

As I pointed out yesterday, I often get home from a trip to Leeds Kirkgate market with more food than I had intended to buy.  Along with that cabbage I am also the proud owner of too many carrots!

Carrots, it turns out, are Britain's favourite vegetable*.  Why then are there so few carrot recipes?  People must do more than eat them as a side vegetable or make cake out of them.  We tend to make soup from our carrot gluts.  A wonderful roasted carrot and caraway dip also makes several appearances every summer.  But neither of these are worthy of an evening meal.

We still have the majority of Mr Cabbage in the fridge** so we needed something that would let us make headway into both vegetables.  Luckily we have some shin beef in the freezer and Z is currently working three days a week.  Today was a day at home so she could crack on with a good slow rib sticking beef and carrot stew.

Three and a half hours later the collagen from the shin beef has broken down to leave meltingly tender meat.  The carrots are still intact, because they were left large, and their sweetness has flavoured the gravy.  The bitter cabbage is the perfect foil for the stew, along with boiled potatoes.

*according to The British Association of Carrot Growers
**even after last night's heroic efforts.