Getting peckish?

It’s a misty, autumnal day here in London and I'm making a dark, rich beef stew for dinner tonight. I bought 2lb of  beef shin and asked the butcher to cut it up into large chunks for me. I dusted the meat with flour and then browned it in batches in a casserole. I then took the meat out and fried the lardons, shallots and garlic in the same pan. After that, I added some thyme, parsley stalks, stock, wine, tomato puree and salt and popped it into the oven. It’s already had an hour and there's still another two to go. Mmmm I'm getting peckish just writing about it...

Glossary

• Misty (adj.)                                                 

When the weather is foggy

• Autumnal (adj.)                                          

Relating to autumn   

• Rich (adj.)                                                  

Containing a lot of flavour

• 2lb (noun)                                                   

Two pounds (900 grams)

• A shin (noun)                                              

The part of the leg between the knee and ankle

• To cut up (phrasal verb)                              

To cut into pieces

• A chunk (noun)                                            

A big piece of something

• To dust (verb)                                                

To cover in flour

• To brown (verb)                                            

To cook until brown in colour

• In batches (phrase)                                        

In small amounts at a time

• Shallots (noun)                                              

Small onions

• Thyme (noun)                                                  

A herb with small leaves 

• Parsley stalks (noun)                                      

The thin, long part of the herb, parsley

• To pop into (phrasal verb)                              

To put into

• Peckish (adj)                                                    

To be hungry