Beef Bourguignon

I'm making this beautiful classic to celebrate Hubby coming home after a week away.  I'm making it  a day in advance, and will slowly reheat it in the oven tomorrow night. You’ll find that the flavours will really develop overnight and the dish will be richer and more mature. Some creamy mash and savoy cabbage will round it all off.  Oh and a bottle of Burgundy for 2 as well please. This is a blend of a Delia and Gordon recipe that I've morphed over the years.

The end result

Ingredients

3 tbsp goose/duck fat or sunflower oil

600g braising beef, cut into large chunks

100g smoked bacon lardons or chopped streaky bacon

350g shallots or baby onions, peeled

250g chestnut mushrooms

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 bouquet garni

1 tbsp tomato purée

750ml bottle red wine, Burgundy is ideal. 

Method

Heat a large oven proof dish and add 1 tbsp goose fat. Season the beef and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 mins, then turn over and fry the other side until the meat is browned all over, adding more fat if necessary. Do this in 2-3 batches, transferring the meat to a plate when browned.

In the same pan, fry the bacon, shallots or onions, mushrooms, garlic and bouquet garni until lightly browned. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for a few mins, stirring. Then return the beef and any drained juices to the pan and stir through.

Pour in the wine and about 100ml water so the meat bobs up from the liquid, but isn’t completely covered. Bring to the boil and use a tablespoon to scrape the caramelised cooking juices from the bottom of the dish – this will give the stew more flavour.

Heat oven to 130C.  Make a cartouche: tear off a square of foil or greaseproof papers lightly larger than the casserole, arrange it in the pan so it covers the top of the stew and trim away any excess foil. Then cook for 3 hrs. If the sauce looks watery, remove the beef and veg with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Cook the sauce over a high heat for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened a little, then return the beef and vegetables to the pan.  Allow to cool and then pop it in the fridge overnight if you can, it really does make a difference.