Bœuf Bourguignon

Ingredients [for four]
500g Chuck steak or Gravy beef, trimmed but keep some fat on, 2cm cubes
1 large onion chopped
A few cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 rashers of bacon, rind off, roughly chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
1 or two cups red wine, reasonable quality [if it's not worth drinking it's not worth cooking with it]
Four medium tomatoes, can of tomato puree, peeled tomatoes or my pasta sauce
1 cup of mushrooms, small ones kept whole or large ones sliced
4 small [pickling] onions, peeled but kept whole
Olive oil
Herbs - bay leaves, thyme, others to taste
salt and pepper


Method
Start a day or so before eating - the flavours develop
Prepare the vegetables and garlic, bacon and meat
In a medium/large saucepan over medium heat fry the onions, garlic and bacon in a tbsp or two of olive oil until transparent.
Add the meat and fry until sealed all over. Add the flour and stir to coat the meat.
Pour the red wine over the meat to half-cover, de-glazes the saucepan, starts the sauce
Add tomatoes in whatever form
Water to just cover
Add herbs [keep some to add more later]

Bring the saucepan to the boil and turn the heat right down to maintain a slow simmer.
Cover the saucepan to keep the heat and liquid in, for now.
Let it simmer for an hour minimum, two is better.
Turn off the heat and let the saucepan sit, covered until cool, then place covered in the fridge overnight.

When approaching meal time, return the saucepan to the heat and return to simmer, covered.
[Alternatively put into an ovenproof dish and finish in the oven]
Add the mushrooms and small onions.
Adjust herbs, salt and pepper.
Simmer uncovered for an hour at least, careful not to let the saucepan dry out.

Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes, green vegetables, peas.

Leftovers can be baked in a pie.
Freezes well, some say it improves the flavour even further.