Pot–roast beef brisket with hasselback carrots

This fall-apart tender beef, cooked in a rich, flavourful gravy, will scent the house with the most amazing aromas while it’s cooking.

Calories per

serving: 341

low-calorie cooking spray

1kg (2lb 4oz) rolled beef brisket

2 red onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 celery sticks

1 litre (1¾ pints) beef stock

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon tomato purée

2 teaspoons cornflour

8 similar-sized carrots, peeled but left whole

salt and pepper

1. P reheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan (340°F), Gas Mark 31/2.

2. Spray a frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and sear the beef over a high heat for 1 minute on each side.

3. Transfer the beef to a casserole dish, then put the onions, garlic and celery into the frying pan and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Transfer these to the casserole dish.

4. Pour the beef stock into a jug and add the mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary and tomato purée. Mix everything together. In a small dish, mix 1 tablespoon cold water with the cornflour and stir until smooth. Pour this into the stock.

5. Pour the stock over the beef and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 4 hours,

turning the meat once halfway through the cooking time.

6. When the beef only has 1 hour or so left to cook, prepare the carrots. Boil them whole for 10 minutes, then drain and cool them by running under cold water.

7. Place each carrot lengthways in parallel between the handles of two wooden spoons and, using a sharp knife, slice evenly across each carrot, with intervals of about 5mm (. inch) between each cut.

8. Place the carrots on a baking tray, spray with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned and very tender.

9. When the beef is cooked, remove the beef from the dish and use a hand blender to whizz up the remaining contents of the pan into a velvety gravy.

10. Either slice the beef finely or pull it apart with 2 forks. Serve with the gravy and the hasselback carrots.

This recipe is from The Slimming Foodie: Everyday meals made healthy, hearty and delicious – 100+ recipes under 600 calories by Pip Payne.

Liked this recipe? Why not check out this recipe for Pot Roast Brisket with Harissa and Spices from Simply by Sabrina Ghayour?