Boeuf Bourguignon

Remove all fat from the beef and cut into large chunks discarding any gristle. Make some seasoned flour with any type of flour, salt and pepper. Take the rind off the bacon and cut half of it into lardons.

Peel the shallots, finely chop and soften in a frying pan in a tablespoonful of olive oil. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large ovenproof casserole. Fry the lardons in a very little olive oil and transfer with a slotted spoon to the casserole.

Add some more oil to the frying pan, cover the beef with the seasoned flour and fry in batches adding them to the casserole when done. Pour the red wine into the frying pan, reduce and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the red wine into the casserole.

Add two pieces or so of the calves foot to the beef. Tie up two bunches of thyme with some string and bury in the meat. Crush three or four cloves of garlic and add to the casserole along with a teaspoon of salt and a good few turns of black pepper. Add beef stock to just cover the meat etc.

Cover the casserole and cook in the oven at 300°F/160°C/Reg2 for three hours. When done switch off the oven, take out and discard the thyme and calves foot, and then returned to the oven covered to slowly cool. Keep in the fridge over night.

The following day take the casserole out of the fridge and use a spoon to scrape off any fat. Take the remaining bacon and cut into lardons, and peel the baby onions  Picture  . Fry the lardons in a little olive oil and transfer to the casserole. Add a little more olive oil to the pan fry the onions until brownish, and add to the casserole using a slotted spoon.

Meanwhile peel the mushrooms, trim the stalks if necessary, and then cut into half through the stalk and cap. Quickly fry the mushrooms in a little olive oil, season with a couple of pinches of cayenne pepper, and add to the casserole. Prepare the carrots, celeriac and put the brocolli in a steamer.

Warm up the casserole over a medium heat and season with salt and fresh black pepper. Heat covered in the oven at 325°F/170°C/Reg3 for around 30 minutes or until the onions are just tender. Meanwhile cook the vegetables. Put on to serving plates and serve  Zoom  . This was really good!