Ingredients
600g Topside Beef joint chopped into large chunks
1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp cooking grade Olive Oil
50g smoked bacon, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
18 shallot, peeled but left whole
2 onion, sliced
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 bouquet garni, (sprigs of thyme, rosemary and flat-leafed parsley together with a couple of Bayleaves)
12 small cèpe mushrooms, or mushrooms
750ml Burgundy, wine made from pinot noir grapes, from France
25g Butter
25g flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3. Season the beef with salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Heat half the Olive Oil in a casserole dish. Add in the beef and fry until well-browned.
3. Remove the beef, setting aside, and add in the rest of the Olive Oil to the casserole. Add in the bacon, garlic, shallots and onions and fry, stirring now and then, until browned.
4. Mix in the tomato puree and return the beef to the casserole, with the bouquet garni pan and add the bouquet garni. Add the ceps and pour in enough wine to just cover the beef. Stir well, put a lid on the pan and bring to the simmer.
5. Transfer the beef mixture in the covered casserole dish to the oven and bake for 3 hours until the beef is tender.
6. Using a slotted spoon, lift out the beef and shallots and pile into a serving bowl, keeping warm.
7. On the hob, bring the sauce up to the simmer. Meanwhile, mix the butter and flour together until well-mixed.
8. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce a little at a time, stirring all the time, until the sauce reaches the required thickness.
9. Pour the sauce over the beef and serve with a bowl of buttered new potatoes, some fresh French country bread and a Burgundy wine.