Boeuf Bourguignon (Burgundy Beef Stew)

Ingredients

• 1.2kg braising steak or chuck steak, cut into 4cm chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 750ml red Burgundy wine (or other full-bodied dry red wine)
• 300ml beef stock
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 baby onions or small shallots, peeled
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 25g unsalted butter
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Toss the beef in the seasoned flour.

2. Heat half the oil in a large casserole over a high heat and brown the beef in batches for 5 minutes per batch, then set aside.

3. Fry the lardons in the same pan for 5 minutes until golden, then lift out. Cook the carrots and chopped onion in the fat for 8 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato purée for 1 minute.

4. Pour in the wine, scraping up the base of the pan, and bring to the boil. Return the beef and lardons, add the stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.

5. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours 15 minutes until the beef is very tender.

6. Meanwhile, heat the butter and remaining oil in a frying pan and brown the baby onions for 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes until golden.

7. Stir the onions and mushrooms into the stew and cook uncovered in the oven for 20 minutes more to reduce and thicken the sauce. Remove the thyme and bay leaves, season to taste and scatter with parsley. Serve with mashed potato.