Beef Daube

Serves 4-6 generously. Takes 90 – 120 mins

Warming, fresh, fragrant with orange oil, red wine and allspice, it’s the taste of the Med in the middle of winter

1kg skirt, braising, or stewing beef, cut into biggish (5cm) chunks

1–2 medium onions finely chopped

2 rashers bacon finely chopped

1 bottle decent red wine

2 large oranges juiced, plus 5 strips of zest

15 black stoned olives, rinsed

250g mushrooms, either small button, or large ones sliced finely

1 tsp allspice

Flour

Pepper and salt

Olive Oil

• Heat oven to 225C, and place a good deep stewing pot with tight fitting lid inside to warm up
• Put 2-3 tablespoons of flour, plus a good grind of pepper and a pinch of salt onto a dinner plate
• In a wok or large saucepan, heat up some oil, then chuck in onions, cook gently till soft
• Turn the heat up, then dip each piece of beef in the flour, chuck into the onions, and stir till flour and meat starts to cook. Don’t put the meat in too fast; each piece has to be cooking before the next one goes in
• Add in most of the wine, all of the the orange juice and half of the zest and the allspice, stir well, and bring slowly to the boil
• Decant into hot pot from oven, put on lid, put back in oven and set a timer for 30 mins
• After 30 mins add half of the mushrooms and remaining zest, return to the oven, turn down the heat to 150C
• After another 30 minutes, check meat for tenderness. If it still needs it, put it back into the oven. If not, add rest of mushrooms
• Once cooked, add olives and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then serve with mash or steamed or pilaf rice