Carbonade Flamande - Flemish Beef And Beer Stew/casserole

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 500 g beef (chuck cut into 5mm thick slices)
• 4 bacon, cut into cubes (thick slices)
• 3 onions, roughly diced (mirepoix)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, parsley, thyme)
• 1 (1/2 pint) bottle of belgian strong brown ale, beer
• 1/2 liter beef stock
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 20 g butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 -8 slices french bread, baguette
• 2 -3 tablespoons brown sugar
• dijon mustard
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 170c, 340f, gas mark 3.
• 2 make sure the pieces of beef are thoroughly dry, using paper towels.
• 3 in a flame-proof casserole, heat the butter and olive oil. add the bacon cubes and fry them until golden. remove with a slotted spoon. reserve.
• 4 make sure your flame-proof casserole is thoroughly heated. place the pieces of beef and brown them on all sides. remove with a slotted spoon. keep warm.
• 5 place the onions and garlic on the bottom of the casserole dish and cook until transparent (lightly golden). season well with salt and pepper.
• 6 add the sugar and mix thoroughly. cook until a light caramelisation appears then add the red wine vinegar. mix thoroughly then cook for 2 minutes.
• 7 add the cooked beef and bacon to the dish. mix carefully to make sure there is a full marriage of the flavours of the meat with the onions.
• 8 pour the beer then the beef stock until the meat is entirely covered with liquid. add the bouquet garni.
• 9 cut the slices of bread then spread dijon mustard on the bread. cover the meat with the bread.
• 10 place in the oven. the carbonade should cook slowly between 2 and 3 hours, or in a crockpot for up to 5 hours on high.
• 11 when cooked mix the bread thoroughly by breaking it up in the dish, the bread works as a thickener for the sauce. taste then adjust the seasoning. serve hot.
• 12 in belgium the carbonade will be served with chips/fries/frites. in northern france, it will be served with either braised chicory in butter or red cabbage.