Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:

2kg cubed stewing steak
flour
15 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper for seasoning
60ml cognac
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 leeks, coarsely chopped
600g coarsely-chopped onions
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
1 bottle red wine (preferably a full-bodied Burgundy)
36 small white onions (whole)
36 button mushrooms
juice of half a lemon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and whilst it is warming, sprinkle flour into a mixing bowl, and roll the beef cubes in it. When evenly coated, transfer to a large frying pan in which four tablespoons of oil have been heated over a high heat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and heat until evenly browned, then pour the cognac over it and ignite. When the flame dies, transfer the meat to a large casserole dish.

In the pan add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Heat thoroughly, then toss-in the garlic, carrots, leeks, chopped onions, and two tablespoons of parsley. Cook until vegetables are lightly browned then transfer to the casserole dish, along with the meat. Then add-in the bay leaf, thyme, Burgundy, and enough water to barely cover the meat. Cover, and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours. Prepare a beurre manié by blending one tablespoon each of olive oil and flour and stir this into the casserole bit by bit. Return the casserole to the oven and continue cooking for a further 3 hours.

Near the end of this cooking time, brown the onions in 2 tablespoons of oil to which a dash of sugar has been added. Then add a little water, cover the pan, and cook until the onions are tender. Sauté the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons oil until lightly brown. Sprinkle with lemon and brown a bit more.

To serve, add onions to casserole and garnish with mushrooms and the remaining parsley