Crown Jewel Sapphire Stew

Ingredients

• 900 g beef stew meat, cubed
• 2 large onions, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 400 ml beef stock
• 200 ml red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp caraway seeds
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp oil
• 800 g waxy potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g frozen peas
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 blue oven dish (or white, with a blue napkin underneath for effect)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. Heat oil in a casserole and brown the beef on all sides.
3. Add onions, garlic, carrot, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Deglaze with red wine, add stock, bay leaves, paprika, and caraway. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 2.5 hours until the meat is tender.
7. Toss potato wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking tray for 35 minutes until golden.
8. Boil peas for 4 minutes, drain, and toss with butter and parsley.
9. Spoon the stew into a round (preferably blue) oven dish to resemble a large gemstone.
10. Arrange the roasted potato wedges in a circle around the edge as a bracelet.
11. Distribute the peas in clusters as 'diamonds' between the potatoes. Serve immediately.

Serving notes

• Place a blue napkin under the dish for extra sapphire effect.
• Serve with a glass of red wine for imperial flair.