Beef bourguignon royale

My beef Bourguignon royale is magic. I serve it with pan-fried potatoes – à la Lyonnaise – and a green salad drizzled with a simple vinaigrette. Use either Shiraz or Cabernet for this casserole, "but never Pinot".

Credit: John Reyment

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1:10 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil
• 100 g butter, chopped
• 1 kg beef eye fillet (butt end), cut into 3 cm pieces
• 750 ml (3 cups) red wine (Shiraz or Cabernet)
• 5 carrots, cut into 3cm dice
• 8 eschalots, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 35 g (¼ cup) plain flour
• 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock
• 250 g speck (see rabbit with mustard recipe note), cut into 2 cm dice
• 250 g small button mushrooms
• chopped flat-leaf parsley, chervil, pan-fried potatoes and green salad, to serve

Standing time 10 minutes

DRINK 2010 Pierre Gaillard St Joseph Rouge, Rhône Valley, France ($49)

Instructions

Place a heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and 25 g butter, stirring until butter has melted. Season beef with salt and pepper, then add one-third to pan and cook, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until browned on all sides. Add 250 ml wine and simmer for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, then repeat twice more with additional oil and butter, and remaining beef and wine.

Wipe pan clean, then place over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and 25 g butter, stirring until butter has melted. Add carrots, eschalots, garlic and bay leaf, and cook for 10 minutes or until starting to soften. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then add stock, reserved beef and wine mixture and cook, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until beef is cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add speck and cook for 3 minutes or until starting to colour. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes or until starting to soften.

Add mushroom mixture to beef, stirring to combine. Stand for 10 minutes to allow flavours to develop. Scatter over parsley and chervil, and serve with potatoes and salad.

Photography by John Reyment. Drinks suggestions  by Dan Coward.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.