| Ingredients:
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
Chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
6 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
1 large carrot, peeled and cut in to slices
1 large onion, peeled and thickly diced
500g shallots, peeled
350g chestnut mushrooms
250g diced bacon lardons
2 bottles of red wine
50g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
½ pint of beef stock
75ml of brandy
1.5kg steak, 5cm diced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 x 212g Bells puff pastry, rolled out and cut into 6 circular discs approx 8cm or smaller (these will be used to top the finished stew instead of a puff pastry lid therefore size of pastry discs depends on own preference and size of casserole dish being used).
Glaze pastry discs with milk or egg before placing on top of stew
Method:
1. Heat 1tsp of oil in a large saucepan. Add onion & carrot, cook for 2-3 mins. Add wine, garlic puree, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to boil and simmer for 10-15mins. Remove from heat and cool
2. Place diced beef in a large bowl and pour over the cooled mixture (from step 1). Cover bowl with kitchen foil/film and refrigerate overnight
3. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. use a sieve/colander to drain liquid from beef and veg (Keep liquid aside)
4. Heat 30g butter in a large pan. Add diced bacon lardons and brown, add shallots and transfer to a large casserole dish.
5. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Dry off excess liquor from meat. Add meat to pan and brown on all sides. Transfer cooked beef to casserole dish with bacon, shallots and veg.
6. Pour marinade into casserole dish and sieve in the flour, stir. Bring mix to the boil, cover and cook in oven for 3 hours or until beef is tender.
7. Halfway through cooking – shallow fry mushrooms, add brandy, and then add to casserole dish.
8. 20 minutes before the end of cooking time remove the lid from the casserole dish and place glazed pastry discs on top of the stew. Cook for the remaining 20 minutes.
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