A hearty beef stew that is a one-pot solution for dinner parties!

Ingredients

 

  • 1 large onion
  • sprig flat-leaf parsley
  • sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1.5 kg chuck steak or top rump cut into large chunks
  • 2 tblsp cognac
  • 500 ml red wine
  • 4 tblsp (or five) of olive oil
  • 50 g butter
  • 150 g poitrine fumée bacon lardoons
  • 24 small pickling mushrooms (sliced)
  • 25 g plain flour
  • 400 ml beef stock
  • 1 garlic clove crushed

Method

 

  • In a deep bowl, put a few of the onion slices, some parsley, thyme and the bay leaf. Add a few pieces of beef on top, then layer up until all the beef, parsley and thyme are used up.
  • Mix together the cognac, wine and 3 tablespoons of oil, and pour them over the beef. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
  • In a large frying pan, heat the butter and fry the poitrine fumée with the pickling onions and the mushrooms until they become golden. Drain on some kitchen paper and set aside.
  • Put the flour on a plate. Drain the beef, reserving the marinade, and dry with kitchen paper. In a heavy-based casserole dish with a lid, heat the remaining oil.
  • Roll the beef quickly in the flour and brown in the hot fat for a few minutes until lightly coloured all over. Sprinkle in any remaining flour and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Stir.
  • Pour in the marinade, stirring and scraping off any tasty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer very gently for about 2 hours. Add the poitrine fumée, mushrooms and pickling onions and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the beef is meltingly tender.