Ingredients

• 1 kilo braising beef - I used chuck steak

• 4 tbsps olive oil

• 1 onion finely chopped

• 1 carrot finely chopped

• 1 celery stick finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves crushed

• 2 tbsps tomato paste

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• Bottle of full bodied red wine - I used a burgundy wine

• 1 beef stock cube

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 sprigs of dried or fresh thyme

• 1 sprig of rosemary

• 4 baby carrots

• 200g smoked bacon lardons

• 50g unsalted butter

• 300g button mushrooms

• 25g of all purpose flour

• Salt and pepper to season

• Handful of chopped parsley

Serves 6

Method

Day before eating

1. In a heavy based dutch oven on the stove at medium-high heat place 1 tbsp of the oil and half the beef and brown in batches and rest whilst you cook the other ingredients

2. Add another tbsp of olive oil and sautée the onion, carrots and celery until translucent

3. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to cook out the paste

4. Return the meat to the pan and season with the salt and pepper

5. Add the red wine and then add enough filtered water if needed to make sure everything is covered by at least of centimetre of liquid

6. Add the stock cube and herbs and bring to a boil

7. Once at a boil reduce to a low heat and cover the pot. Cook for 3 hours on this low heat with the lid on, check every now and if it gets too dry top it up with some more water.

8. After 3 hours leave take off the heat and let it sit there covered overnight

Next Day after resting the braised beef

1. Bring the beef mixture back up to the heat

2. Add the carrots and cook them in the beef mixture

3. In a fry pan on med-high heat cook the bacon and once cooked remove from the pan and place on paper towel, keep the fat in the pan though

4. Add mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes on each side then remove the pan from the heat

5. In a bowl combine the flour and butter into a paste

6. Put the sauce seperated from the fat back into the pan and boil for 5 minutes to reduce by about a third

7. Whisk in the flour/butter mixture and allow to thicken for a couple of minutes on med-high heat

8. Return the beef and carrots to the sauce and then add the bacon, mushrooms and onions. Allow to cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve