Ingredients 4 blade steaks (8oz / 200g) ½ bag baby spinach 1 pint (500ml) good beef stock 3 large carrots 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf 3 large parsnips ½oz plain flour 1 tbs honey ½oz butter 1 tbs grain mustard 1 tsp tomato puree Glug of olive oil 4 large potatoes (mashed) 1 large glass red wine Method One full blade will feed up to 10 people, so ask your butcher to cut you as many steaks as you need. This recipe will feed four people. The blade is cut from the flank. Place the seasoned steaks into a hot ovenproof dish so they are seared on both sides. This can be done on the stove top. Pour the stock and the herbs on to the steaks, so they are covered by the liquid. This can now be covered by a lid or foil and placed in a moderate oven at 175C/350F/Gas 3-4 for three hours. During this time, you can peel the vegetables and cut them into chunky fingers; this helps to give the dish a rustic feel. Season well. Roll the veg in the mustard, honey and oil. Place in a separate oven dish ready for later. When the beef has become tender and falls away quite nicely (approx 2½ hours) it is time to put the vegetables into the oven for about 20-30 minutes, depending on how well cooked you want them. Now the mashed potato can be made and kept warm. Remove the beef and allow to rest in its juice. A quick sauce can be made by gently mixing the flour and butter in a thick bottomed pan until there are no lumps (it should resemble putty). Remove this from the pan and add half the wine (you might want to drink the rest). Reduce the wine by about half and slowly whisk in the putty mix. Now add the tomato purée. Next gradually add some stock from the steak dish until the required consistency is achieved. This is a very basic red wine gravy. Now it’s time to dish up. Stir the spinach into the root vegetables then place on the plate with a serving of potato. The beautifully tender steaks can now go at the side carefully dressed with the gravy. Served with a good glass of full strength French Fleurie. This is an affordable and conscience-free meal for you to enjoy with your friends and family alike.