I don't know what your Mum did Peter but have a look here





http://www.bing.com/search?q=old%20fashioned%20caserole&mkt;=en-au&FORM;=TOOLBR&DI;=2883&CE;=14.0&CM;=SearchWeb

The secret is to brown the meat THOROUGHLY and FAST and over a HIGH heat. It must be completely seared dark brown on every bit of the cut surface.



Just make sure the smoke alarms are working. LOL

Ingregients.

Chicken or Beef Steak.

Chopped onion/Carrot/..........and any other veggie that you may like.........eg frozen peas/beans.

Stock cube/plain flour/pepper/wine or beer/chopped bacon/olive oil/mixed herbs dry teaspoon.



Cut up your raw meats into pieces or cubes and coat in flour.

Place into hot oil in fry pan and brown both sides lifting the sealed meat into your casserole dish.

Throw in your vegetables and stir them around in the same fry pan.

Add some flour (about half a cup)..........keep stirring and reduce heat.

Add pepper/bacon/ stock cube/herbs and stir in liquids bit by bit until you have a nice thick sauce.

Water/Stock/beer and or wine according to your tastes can be used.

Pour over your meats in the dish and stir through.



Cover with lid or kitchen foil and cook in medium oven for

1.5 hours Chicken

2.00 hours Rump steak.

2.5 chuck steak.



Instead of covering the casserole dish your may cover with sliced raw potatoes and brush with oil.

Dumplings could be used for winter instead of potato but added on top bubbling stew about 45 mins before cooking time is over.

Dumplings.........Butter/Selfraising flour/......rub together and add water slowly until you have a dough.Break into chunks about the size of golf balls.

Sounds good, Octopus. ;-)