Recipe for Bœuf Bourguignon –serves 4

 Since the temperature has plunged to around zero in the evenings, I love this dark and rich casserole. Served with potatoes or pasta it is warming and delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 kg stewing beef cut up into 1 inch chunks
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 100gm bacon cut into lardons
• 4 carrots
• 8 dried and soaked cèpes &/or 2oz mushrooms washed & chopped into quarters
• 300- 500ml red wine or half wine and half chicken stock
• ½ Tablespoons flour
• Salt & pepper
• 1 bay leaf and 2 teaspoons of dried or fresh thyme
• Oil for frying


Method

• Heat up oil in casserole and brown meat on all sides
• Take out and put in onions and cook till transparent along with lardons and garlic
• Pour out fat if there is too much
• Mix flour into oil to make roux and cook for 3 minutes
• Slowly add in wine to make smooth thick sauce
• Replace meat
• Add carrots & cèpes with their juice, herbs salt pepper
• Cover and place in oven at 175C for 2 - 2 ½ hour
• Just before end of cooking fry mushrooms in a little oil and mix into casserole