Boeuf Bourguignon
As the weather turns colder, we love to indulge in some good old fashioned comfort food and a classic Boeuf Bourguignon always hits the mark. This rich, beef casserole favours red wine instead of stock to give you the signature flavoursome gravy and wonderfully tender meat that no casserole should be without.
Ingredients
- 1.6 kg braising steak, cut into chunky pieces
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 200 g bacon lardons, smoked
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 75 cl red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 beef stock cube
- 3 large bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 25 g butter
- 450 g shallots, cut into halves
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 2 heaped tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp cold water
- chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the beef in a cast iron casserole dish until nicely browned on all sides, turning every now and then and adding more oil if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas3.
- Using a frying pan, fry the smoked bacon lardons for 2–3 minutes, or until the fat crisps and browns. Transfer this to the cast iron dish and mix until well.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan with the meat and pour over the wine. Stir in the tomato purée and 150ml water. Crumble over the stock cube, add the herbs and bring to a simmer. Stir well, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1½ –1¾ hours, or until the beef is almost completely tender.
- While the beef is cooking, peel and chop the shallots, ensure the root is slightly left intact.
- A few minutes before the beef is ready, melt half of the butter in a large frying pan with a touch of oil and fry the shallots over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown on all sides. Tip into a bowl. Add the remaining butter and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes over a fairly high heat until golden brown.
- Mix the cornflour with the water in a small jug until smooth.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and stir in the cornflour mixture, followed by the onions and mushrooms. Return to the oven and cook for 45 minutes more, or until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce is thick.
- To serve, remove the thyme stalks. Sprinkle the casserole with parsley and serve.