ESTOUFFADE DE BOEUF BOURGUIGNON

Prep: 40 mins. Cooking: 3-4 hrs. Serves 8.

100g speck, cut into small dice

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, peeled and

coarsely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2kg blade or chuck steak in one piece,

cut into 6cm pieces

2 tbsp (40ml) brandy

1 bottle (750ml) full-bodied red wine 2 cups (500ml) stock

Small handful thyme sprigs

12-16 french shallots

200g whole button mushrooms,

halved if large

1 Place speck and 1 tbsp oil in a casserole pot with tight-fitting lid and heat over moderate heat; stir until fat starts to run, about 5 mins. Add onion, stir until tender, 5 mins, add garlic, stir a further 1 min. Transfer to a bowl. Leave pot on heat.

2 Increase heat to moderately high. Add 1 tbsp oil and sear beef on all sides until dark brown. (Do this in batches.) Add cooked beef to bowl with onion mixture.

3 Add brandy to same pot, followed by 150ml wine to deglaze (scrape base of pan to dislodge any brown bits). Return beef mixture to pot with remaining wine, add stock and thyme and season. Bring to steady simmer, cover securely, reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hrs or until meat is just tender. (Alternatively, transfer covered pot to oven and cook at 140˚C [120˚C fan] for same length of time. Ensure mixture is simmering before placing in oven.)

4 Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a frypan over moderate heat, add shallots and mushrooms and cook, stirring, 5 mins or until golden. Add to beef and cook a further 30 mins or until beef and vegetables are tender.