Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 kg diced beef (rump or shoulder is good, but anything will do)
• 4 onions, sliced thinly
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, grated or micro-planed
• 2 tablespoons, plain flour
• 1 cup of red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes, (tinned are fine)
• 4 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into 2.5cm pieces
• 2 bay leaves, 1 stalk rosemary, 2 stalks thyme
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Salt and Pepper

Method

Season meat with some of the salt and pepper.

Heat a very heavy bottomed pot and add oil, keep on heat till oil is almost smoking.

Add the meat in batches, so it browns on all sides, if you put too much meat in the pot at once it will turn grey and start to stew.

Once the meat is all lovely and brown, remove from the pot and leave behind as much oil as possible, add the onions to the pot and lower heat to medium, until the onions are soft and golden brown. Add the garlic next and then sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic.

Continue to cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red wine, and scrape all that lovely goodness from the bottom. Bring the wine to the boil.

Return the meat to the pot and add the stock, tomatoes, sugar, mushrooms, carrots, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil and, reduce to a gentle simmer and let cook for about 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so, making sure to scrape the bottom so the stew doesn’t catch. If liquid is at all looking low, add some more beef stock, you can’t have meat too tender, so if your meat doesn’t break apart with a fork, cook it for another 20 minutes or longer.

Finally, remove herbs and stalks and season to taste. When ready to serve, stir through the chopped parsley.

Suggested Wines to Go With Today's Recipe

PINOT NOIR

Main Divide 04

Dog Point 04

St. Clair 05

Fromm Clayvin 04