Name: Quick Beef and Pepper Stew with Olives
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 10 ounces (300 g) sirloin or rump steak, thinly sliced across the grain; 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 onion, sliced; 2 cloves garlic, sliced; 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced; 1 (14-ounce / 400 g) can chopped tomatoes; 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or beef stock; 1 sprig rosemary, leaves finely chopped; 1/3 cup (50 g) pitted black or Kalamata olives, halved; Chopped parsley, to serve (optional)

This is a quick Mediterranean-style stew rather than a slow braise. Thin strips of steak cook through in about ten minutes in a tomato sauce with sweet pepper, rosemary and olives, so dinner is ready in under half an hour.

Because the beef only simmers briefly, the cut matters. Use a tender steak such as sirloin, rump or flank, sliced thinly across the grain. Stewing cuts like chuck need hours, and they'd stay chewy here.

Browning the beef quickly in a hot pan before it goes into the sauce adds flavour, and lifting it out again stops it overcooking while the sauce reduces. The olives go in at the end so they keep their texture and salty bite. A spoonful of their brine perks up the sauce if it tastes flat.

It's lean and filling, with plenty of vegetables. Serve it over mashed potatoes, soft polenta or rice, or with bread to soak up the sauce. It also doubles easily for a crowd.