Beef cheek bourguignon

• 4 beef cheeks - approx. 250g each

• 2 large carrots cut into chunks

• 15 small onions peeled but left whole

• 2 bay leaves, dried is fine

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 750ml good red wine - preferably pinot noir

• 250g mushrooms , halved

• 250g bacon diced

• 3 tbsp butter

• 3 garlic cloves , minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 6 tbsp flour

• 1 Lt beef stock

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• salt

• pepper

• Chopped parsley

• Marinade the beef in the wine with the onion, carrots, bay leaves and thyme overnight. Preferably for 24 hours

• Preheat the over to 170°C

• Pour the contents into a strainer reserving the wine

• Heat the wine in a pot until simmering

• Put the vegetables, bay leaves and meat into a separate bowl

• Dry the beef well with paper towel

• Season the meat well with salt and pepper and then brown it in 3 tblsp oil over a high heat

• Remove the meat with a slotted spoon

• In the same pan/pot, fry the bacon until well browned. Remove and set aside.

• Then brown the onions until a little golden - about 3 minutes. Remove from pan

• Brown the mushrooms and then remove these from the pan.

• Put the mushrooms and onions in the same bowl and set aside

• Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan/pot and add the carrots, garlic and tomato paste. Fry for about 2 minutes over a medium heat

• Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.

• Slowly pour in the hot wine, whisking to remove any lumps and scaping all the stuck bits from the bottom of the pot. Then add the stock

• Bring everything to a simmer and then add back the beef, bacon, bay leaves and remaining thyme

• Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 1 and a half hours

• Turn the beef cheeks over and cook for a further 1 and a half hours

• Add the onions and mushrooms, stir through and then cook in the oven for another hour or until the beef is really tender.

• Remove from the oven. The sauce should have thickened nicely. If not, remove the meat and on the stove top gently boil the sauce until it has reduced and thickened

• Serve beef cheeks on mashed potato covered in sauce and vegetables, topped with freshly chopped parsley