Boeuf Bourguignon

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 4-6

Ingredients

750ml red wine (such as Burgundy or any other pinot noir)

1.5kg chuck steak, cut into 6 cm pieces

1 tbsp plain flour

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

60g butter

1 onion, quartered

1 large carrot, cut into 6 pieces

1 x 10 cm piece of celery, cut into 6 pieces

4 garlic cloves, bruised

2 tbsp cognac or brandy

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, thyme sprigs, parsley tied together with kitchen string)

2 cups of beef stock

8 baby pickling onions, peeled and blanched in boiling water

150g speck or pancetta, cut into lardons

300g button mushrooms, halved

Steamed potatoes, potato puree or pappardelle, to serve

Salt and pepper

Method

Pour the wine into a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook off the alcohol for 5-10 minutes, or until reduced by one-third. Set aside.

Pat the beef dry with some paper towel and season with salt and pepper, then dust in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat two tablespoons of oil and half the butter in a casserole pan over medium–high heat. Add the beef in batches and sear until well browned on all sides then flambé with cognac. Remove.

Now add the onion quarters, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until slightly coloured. Return the beef and its juices to the pan, add the tomato paste and stir to coat everything in the paste. Season with salt, add the reduced wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any caramelised bits. Add the bouquet garni and stock and cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Reduce the heat and cook for about two hours or until the beef is very tender.

While the beef bourguignon is cooking, add a splash of oil, the remaining butter, the speck and baby onions to a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook, allowing the fat from the speck to slowly render for 4–5 minutes. Once sizzling, add the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes until golden and the speck is crisp. Leave in the pan until ready to warm through again just before serving.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef and vegetables from the pan and place in a shallow platter. Discard the bouquet garni. Return the pan to a medium heat and simmer the sauce for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Pour the sauce over the beef.

Scatter the speck, baby onions and mushrooms over the top and serve with steamed potatoes, potato puree or pappardelle.