Paprika beef and mushroom pot

Ingredients
1 x 40g (1½oz) pack dried porcini mushrooms
2tbsp olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
4tsp paprika
1kg (2lb) stewing beef, cut into large cubes
1 x 400g (13oz) tin chopped tomatoes
1tbsp tomato purée
150ml (¼ pint) beef stock
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunky slices
250g (8oz) pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced
bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, to serve
baked potatoes, pasta or rice, to serve
soured cream or Greek yogurt, to serve

Method

Soak the dried mushrooms in 300ml (½ pint) of boiling water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in an ovenproof casserole dish or pot and fry onion and celery for 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the paprika and sizzle for 2 minutes, then add the beef and stir to coat (there's no need to brown the meat).
Preheat the oven to gas 3, 160ºC, fan 140ºC. Lift the mushrooms from the liquid and roughly chop. Add to the pot with all but the last few tablespoons of liquid (as this will be a little gritty), along with the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock and peppers. Cover the pot and cook in the oven for 2 hours, until the meat is tender and the sauce is rich and dark. Season.
Put the remaining oil in a pan and fry the chestnut mushrooms over a high heat for about 4 minutes, until golden. Scatter over the stew, along with the parsley. Serve with baked potatoes, pasta or rice, topped with dollops of soured cream or yogurt.
Tip
To avoid the meat disintegrating as it cooks, cut it into large cubes.