Ingredients

• 1kg - 2.2lbs good quality beef for stewing (i.e rump, chuck)
• 120g - 4oz smoky bacon
• 1 large brown onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 piece of celery (half stick)
• 5-6 sprigs of thyme
• 1 small handful of fresh Italian parsley
• 1 bottle of red wine (ideally French Bourgogne or a Pinot Noir)
• 2 cups beef stock (you can use cubes diluted in 2 cups of water)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 12 baby carrots
• 150g - 5oz small shallots (approx 12 -16)
• 150g - 5oz white button mushrooms
• 100g - 3.5oz butter
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• Cooking oil (recommend grapeseed)
• Salt and pepper

Steps

• Step 1

  Slice your beef into chunky stewing size cubes and season it with just a little bit of salt.

• Step 2

  Peel and slice the onions quite finely. Keep aside.

• Step 3

  Place a frying pan over high heat, add some cooking oil. Once oil is hot, add one third of your meat and caramelise until nice and brown. Remove and keep the meat aside (on a plate or bowl). Add a little more oil and repeat the same process two more times until all the meat is nicely browned. All the meat should be aside and Dutch oven empty.

• Step 4

  Chop the onion roughly. Add a little more oil to the same frying pan and add the onion. Keep stirring until the chopped onion is well caramelised.

• Step 5

  In the inner curved part of your celery stick, place the bay leaf, parsley, thyme and tie it up using kitchen twine. This is known as a “Bouquet Garni”. Keep aside.

• Step 6

  Deglase the caramelised onions using a whole bottle of red wine. Bring wine to a simmer and using a match or lighter, flambe the wine to burn the alcohol. Be very careful, don’t risk it if unsure!

• Step 7

  Place a dutch oven (stewing pot with lid) on low heat.

• Step 8

  Add the cooked meat with its juices.

• Step 9

  Add the red wine with onion.

• Step 10

  Add the bouquet garni.

• Step 11

  Add the beef stock.

• Step 12

  Add the garlic, crushed or grated.

• Step 13

  Add the tomato paste and half season with salt and pepper (we will season again later) and gently stir. Bring to a gentle simmer.

• Step 14

  Peel, top and tail and wash your carrots, and add them to meat.

• Step 15

  Add the lid and place in pre-heated oven and bake for 150 min at 275°F – 135°C.

• Step 16

  Slice bacon into lardons.

• Step 17

  Peel shallots, if too big slice in half.
  Cut large mushrooms into quarters, if mushrooms are smaller, cut in half, if real small leave whole.

• Step 18

  Melt the butter in frying pan and add the shallots, bacon and gently fry until slightly caramelised.

• Step 19

  Add the mushrooms and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

• Step 20

  Add the flour to the mushroom, bacon and shallots and mix well for 30 seconds. Turn off heat.

• Step 21

  After 60 minute cooking, remove from oven and add the mushroom, shallot and bacon and mix well. Return to oven with the lid off.

• Step 22

  Once cooked, scoop out all the ingredients, place in a mixing bowl. Reduce the remaining sauce in Dutch oven on high heat, until it’s a little thicker, then return your ingredients to the sauce. Ready to serve.

Little Tips

Serve with boiled potatoes or boiled pasta. Garnish with parsley leaves or chopped parsley.