FOOD: Beef bourguignon and oeufs en meurette.

Serves 4

– 125ml grapeseed oil

– 1.5kg wagyu neck of beef (preferably wagyu but any braising

beef, such as rump, topside or chuck steak, is fine)

– 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced

– 2 celery stalks with leaves, halved lengthwise and sliced

– 1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced

– 1 onion, chopped

– 500ml red wine

– 250ml beef or veal stock

– 10 thyme sprigs

– 3 bay leaves

– salt and pepper

– 300g kaiserfleisch, cut into lardons

– 300g button mushrooms

– 60g butter

– 5 French shallots, halved Carrot puree

– 5 carrots – salt

– 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped Preheat your oven to 150ºC.

Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Brown the beef on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan, leaving the oil, and add the carrot, celery, leek and onion. Sauté for five to eight minutes. Add the red wine and boil for a couple of minutes, then add the stock. Bring to the boil again.

Place the beef in a deep baking dish. Pour over the sautéed vegetables and liquid. Stir in the thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cover with a layer of baking paper topped with foil. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook until tender, about four to five hours.

While the meat is cooking, heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan and sauté the kaiserfleisch until coloured. Remove from the pan onto some kitchen paper, then sauté the mushrooms until nutty brown. Season and set aside. Melt the butter in the same pan, add the shallots and cook over a gentle heat until tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the carrot puree by boiling the carrots with salt until just soft. Puree.

When the meat is cooked, remove from the cooking liquid and keep covered and warm. Strain the liquid and remove as much fat as you can from the cooking liquid and place it in a heavy frying pan. Add the kaiserfleisch, mushrooms and shallots, bring to the boil and then add the carrot puree.

Slice the meat onto some creamy mashed potato and then ladle over the sauce. Sprinkle liberally with chopped parsley.