Carbonade Flamande

CHEF JEROEN MEUS, who host cooking shows on Flemish television, serves this classic beef stew with fries and mayonnaise but it also pairs well with potatoes or buttered bread.

Beef Chuck 2 lbs

Onion 2 large

Brown Beer 1 x 12 oz bottle

Apple or Pear Butter 2 Tbs

Thyme a few sprigs

Clove 1

Bay Leaf 2

Brown Bread 1 slice

Sharp Mustard 2 Tbs

Vinegar a dash

Butter a few knobs

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 PEEL the onions and chop them into medium sized pieces.

2 HEAT a stew pot and melt a knob of butter in it. Cook the onions on a medium to low flame but don't let them turn brown.

3 HEAT a heavy skillet and melt a knob of butter in it. Brown the pieces of beef in batches, adding a little salt and ground pepper while doing so.

4 ADD the meat to the onion in the stew pot. Deglaze the skillet with the beer. As soon as the beer is boiling, pour it into the meat and onion mixture.

5 TIE the bay leaves and thyme together with kitchen twine and add the bouquet garni to the stew along with the clove and apple or pear butter.

6 SPREAD a fair bit of mustard on the bread and put it in the stew, with the mustard side down.

7 LET the stew simmer, uncovered for 1.5 to 3 hours, over a low flame. Stir every once in a while and check whether the beef is tender. When the sauce has reduced to the desired consistency, cover the pot for the rest of the cooking time.

8 FINISH the stew with a little dash of vinegar and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.