Boeuf Bourguignon

A tradiditional French winter dish with many different versions, this is the one we serve at the Bed and Breakfast. The quantity serves 4 as part of a 3 course dinner, if you are serving it as a supper dish, we would recommend that you increase the amount of beef by 50%.

Ingredients

1lb / 450g trimmed stewing beef in 1” or 2 ½ cm cubes
4oz / 100g smoked bacon lardons
1oz / 25g flour
8oz / 225g small onions
8oz / 225g button mushrooms
½ bottle red wine
12floz / 375ml stock – preferably beef or dark chicken
2tbs oil or preferably dripping
1tsp mixed dried herbs
Salt & pepper
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme

Method:
Fry the lardons until golden brown. Remove from the pan, leaving the juice / oil to fry the beef.
Mix the dried herbs into the flour with a little salt & pepper to season. Coat the cubes of beef with the flour & knock off any excess. Brown the beef in batches in the pan that you fried the lardons in. As each batch is browned, add to a casserole with the lardons.
Once all the beef is browned, quickly fry the onions & add to the casserole.
Add any remaining flour & stir. Put in the bal leaf & sprig of thyme. Add the stock & red wine & mix.
Put in the casserole oven, with the lid on, for 2 ½ hours at 170°C fan / 180°C normal
Remove from the oven, taste & adjust the seasoning to taste. If the sauce is too thin, sprinkle with 1 tbsp flour – don’t worry too much about lumps as they will disappear in cooking. Put back in the oven & cook for a further 1 hour.
Remove from the oven, take out the bay leaf & thyme sprig before serving.
Serve hot with vegetables of your choice.