I am a fan of shin beef, which for me gives the very best flavour, and makes beautiful gravy too. When we were camping or on the boat I used to use the pressure cooker, which was safe as nothing could spill from it, it cut down the cooking time, but ensured it was well cooked too. So whatever casserole dish I am making I have 2 or 3 ingredients for all of them. Firstly I love onions, but definiitely they need frying in a little oil, as it is , to me, quite a different flavour to raw onions added. So I start with that, sometimes add some green or red pepper at the end of the frying. they go in the big pan, meat is then sealed and added and then I like to add carrots, and celery , which I think adds a great flavour. I can add other vegetables such as small amount of parsnip - as I think it is too swee to have much of that in, some turnip or swede but not a great deal. I make up gravy with my own concoction, which starts with a small amount of bisto and cornflour, add some marmite , herbs and then if I have had some good gravy left over such as from something like liver or kidney, I freeze small amounts in ice cube tray. So I can add anything available to add good flavour and then pressure it up and away it goes. These days probably you would use a slow cooker for that. At the end of the cooking time , I may serve it that night with jacket potatoes and probably cauliflower or cabbage. But often I will leave it until the next day, as the flavour does improve from that keeping. I then add mushrooms which I really enjoy but they go rubbery if you cook them in the first time so just add them as you warm it up. Mmm , feeling very hungry now!
