Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 10 shallots
• peeled and left whole
• 3 bay leaves
• 350g/¾lb dry-cured bacon lardons
• handful fresh thyme sprigs
• on the branch
• washed
• tied together tightly with string
• 5 garlic cloves
• peeled
• chopped
• 750ml/1¼ pints red wine
• 2.5kg/5½lb chuck steak or braising steak
• cut into 4cm/1½in cubes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 litre/1¾ pints beef stock
• 2 x 415g/14½oz cans beef consommé
• 1kg/1¾ lbs floury potatoes
• such as King Edward or Maris Piper
• peeled and cut into quarters
• 40g/1½oz butter
• 150ml/5fl oz milk
• 1 x 350g/12½oz head spring greens
• leaves only
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 spring onions
• trimmed
• sliced
• 30g/1oz chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
• Heat the oil in a large roasting tray over a medium heat. Add the shallots
• bay leaves
• bacon lardons
• thyme and garlic
• and fry gently for 10-15 minutes
• or until the shallots have softened and are translucent and the bacon lardons are beginning to brown and stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the wine and scrape the sediment from the bottom of the roasting tray using a wooden spoon. Bring the wine to a simmer and continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes
• or until the volume of liquid has reduced.
• Season the cubed meat
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Lay the seasoned meat on top of the shallots
• lardons and wine mixture without mixing it. Pour over the stock and consommé so that the meat is all well covered.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer
• then cover the tray with foil and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2½-3½ hours. Test the meat for tenderness after 1½ hours by squeezing a piece between your thumb and forefinger. If it gives
• remove the foil covering and continue to cook the beef daube
• uncovered
• for the remaining cooking time
• until the sauce has thickened and the beef is tender.
• Meanwhile
• thirty minutes before serving
• bring the potatoes to the boil in a pan of salted water. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes
• or until tender
• then drain well.
• Return the cooked potatoes to the pan
• add the butter and milk and return the pan to the heat. Mash until smooth
• then season
• to taste
• with salt
• freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg.
• Bring another pan of water to the boil
• then add the spring greens leaves and a pinch of salt. Boil for 4-5 minutes
• stirring occasionally
• or until just tender
• then drain well.
• When the beef is really tender and the sauce has thickened
• remove the beef daube from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• Just before serving
• stir the cooked spring greens and chopped spring onions into the mashed potato and stir until well combined.
• To serve
• spoon some of the colcannon mash into the centre of each of four serving plates. Spoon over the beef daube
• in its sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley.