Boeuf Bourguignon

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15mins
Cooking time: 1 ½ hours +

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
625g lean braising steak, cubed
3 rindless back bacon rashers, chopped
2 celery sticks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1-2 tbsp plain wholemeal flour
300ml red wine
450ml beef stock
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 bouquet garni
12 small onions
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large, heavy based saucepan.

Dust the meat with 1 tbsp of the flour, season with salt and pepper then fry in the oil until browned.

Remove the beef and reserve.

Cook the bacon, celery and carrots in the remaining oil for a few minutes.

Stir the remaining flour into the mixture and cook for 2 minutes.

Gradually add the wine, stock, garlic, bay leaf, bouquet garni and seasoning.

Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until thickened.

Add the beef back to the sauce, then cover and simmer gently for 1-1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender.

30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the onions, then remove the bay leaf and bouquet garni.

Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley.