Ingredients
750g beef - shin, chuck steak or brisket, diced  
2 tbsp vegetable oil 
250g soffritto (onions, carrots and celery, cut into small dice)  
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped  
1 tbsp tomato purée  
1 tbsp flour  
1 litre beef stock 
1 tbsp sugar  
200g frozen sweetcorn (optional) 

BBQ Seasoning  
2 tbsp smoked paprika  
2 tsp onion powder  
2 tsp garlic powder  
1 tsp sea salt flakes  
2 tsp oregano or Italian herbs 
1 tsp chipotle chilli flakes (optional)

Scones 
300g self raising flour, plus extra to dust  
150g butter, softened  
150g mature cheddar, grated  
Large pinch sea salt flakes  
200ml buttermilk  
1 egg, beaten 

Equipment needed 
Large casserole dish that can go on the hob and in the oven
6cm cookie cutter 

Method
Preheat the oven to 180c. 

If you are using the sweetcorn, take it out of the freezer. 

Mix all the barbecue seasoning ingredients together and sprinkle over the beef. 

Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in the casserole dish over a high heat and sear the beef in batches so it gets a deep colour all over, adding extra oil as needed. Transfer the batches of meat to a plate and set aside. If the bottom starts to catch, just stir the meat around a little and any brown bits should move off and stick to the beef. 

Add another tbsp of oil into the casserole dish and add the soffritto and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and sugar and cook for another minute.  Add the tomato puree, stir and cook out for a minute.  Stir through the flour fully and then add a ladleful of stock at a time, scraping the bottom, ensuring you scrape off any stuck bits. Slowly add in the rest of the beef stock, stirring fully to ensure everything is properly mixed and over a medium heat, put the beef back in and give everything a good stir and bring to the boil. 

Put the lid on and put the stew into the oven, reducing the heat immediately to 160c.  Cook for 2½ hours, stirring every half an hour or so.  If at any point the stew looks a little too dry then just add 150ml of water. 

To make the scones you can either do this now or do it half an hour before you want to eat.  Put the flour, salt and butter into a bowl and rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add 120g of cheese and with a knife, mix through.  Add the buttermilk and initially with the knife again, carefully mix through to bring together as a dough and then with your hands, bring the dough together. 

Tip the mix onto a lightly floured surface and gently form the dough into a rough circle, keeping it about 2½ cm thick.  If your dough feels wet, just dust with flour a little heavier.  Cut out scones with the cookie cutter and place onto a plate or chopping board.  With the dough scraps, you can reform the dough and cut out more scones, forming and re-cutting until the dough is used up. 

If making the scones early then you will need to cover with cling film and put into the fridge until 40 minutes before you want to eat.  If you are making the scones just before the end of cooking then they will only need half an hour in the oven. 

When you want to eat, brush the tops with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. 

Remove the stew from the oven and check the seasoning, adjusting where needed.  If you are using the sweetcorn, add and stir through.  Place the scones on top of the stew. Increase the oven temperature to 200c and put the stew back into the oven and bake without the lid for 20-25 minutes until the scones are golden-brown.  

- Adapted from this recipe.