Bœuf bourguignon

• 1.2 kg braising beef (paleron or joue), in 5 cm cubes
• 200 g smoked lardons
• 750 ml bottle full-bodied red wine (a Burgundy or an inexpensive red)
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 200 g small onions or shallots, peeled
• 250 g button mushrooms
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, parsley)
• 1 beef stock cube
• 30 g butter
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 kg potatoes, to serve (boiled)

Contains: egg, milk, wheat · May contain: soy, celery, MSG (stock cube — check the label); sulphites (wine — check the label). Check product labels: brands differ.

1. 1If you have time, put the beef in a bowl with the wine, carrots, chopped onion, garlic and bouquet garni and leave overnight in the fridge. Drain, keeping the wine and vegetables, and pat the beef dry.
2. 2In a large casserole, fry the lardons in the oil until golden and lift them out. Brown the beef in batches in the fat.
3. 3Return the beef and lardons, add the carrots, onion and garlic, sprinkle over the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, the wine, the bouquet garni and the stock cube with 250 ml of water. Season.
4. 4Bring to a simmer, cover and cook very gently for 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours, until the beef is tender.
5. 5Thirty minutes before the end, brown the small onions in the butter for 10 minutes, add the mushrooms for 5 minutes, and stir both into the stew.
6. 6Boil the potatoes. Remove the bouquet garni, taste for seasoning and serve.