Five Spice Beetroot and Gammon Stew

I'm starting to really like beetroot. This is a lovely comforting winter stew with a slightly Chinese edge to it.

Five Spice Beetroot and Gammon Stew (from Recipes from a Pantry)
(Serves 2-3)

1 onion, roughly chopped
200g raw beetroot, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp veg oil
200g smoked gammon, cubed
1 tsp five spice powder
2 400g tins borlotti beans rinsed and drained
400ml chicken stock
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Add the onion, garlic and beetroot into a blender and whizz into a puree. Heat the oil in an oven ready casserole dish and brown the gammon, before quickly mixing in the Chinese five spice. Remove the gammon and set aside.

Add the beetroot and onion puree and cook for 5 mins before returning gammon to the pot. Add everything else in, mix well and bring to the boil.

Cover the casserole, transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 1 hr.