Ingredients

• 1½kg/3lb 5oz stewing beef
• cut into cubes
• 175g/6oz streaky bacon
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 12 baby onions
• peeled
• 18 button mushrooms
• left whole
• 3 carrots
• cut into quarters or 12 baby carrots
• scrubbed and left whole
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 10 cloves of garlic
• crushed and grated
• 425ml/15fl oz red wine
• 425ml/15fl oz chicken or beef stock
• 50g/2oz butter
• 50g/1¾oz flour
• champ
• to serve

Directions

• Brown the beef and bacon in the olive oil in a hot casserole or heavy saucepan.
• Remove the meat and toss in the onions
• mushrooms and carrots
• one ingredient at a time
• seasoning each time.
• Place these back in the casserole
• along with the herbs and garlic.
• Cover with red wine and stock and simmer for one hour or until the meat and vegetables are cooked.
• To make the roux
• in a separate pan melt the butter
• add the flour and cook for two minutes.
• When the stew is cooked
• remove the meat and vegetables.
• Bring the remaining liquid to the boil and add one tbsp of roux.
• Whisk the mixture until the roux is broken up and the juices have thickened
• allowing to boil.
• Replace the meat and vegetables
• and taste for seasoning.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with champ.