Boeuf Bourguignon is a French classic that is as hard to spell as it is to pronounce… Luckily, with Chef Christiaan’s version, it is not at all hard to prepare. Allow enough time for it to simmer slowly and then you can serve it with flair. Remember to open a good red wine – it is this dish’s best friend and will definitely help your tongue over the French hurdles…

Bœuf Bourguignon Recipe

Serves 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 

2,5 kg stewing beef, such as chuck or brisket, cut into 3 cm blocks

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, chopped

100 g bacon lardons 

2 tablespoons (30 ml) crushed garlic

2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato paste

10 ml honey

1 bouquet garni (3 sprigs thyme and parsley and 2 bay-leaves, tied together with string)

2 cups (500 ml) Leopard's Leap Culinaria Grand Vin

2 cups (500 ml) quality beef stock 

350 g small pickling onions

250 g button mushroom

parsley for garnish, roughly chopped

Method

Heat the oil in a big heavy-based casserole. Season and brown the beef on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside.

Fry the bacon in the same casserole until crisp. Add the onion and fry until soft, then add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine and place the meat back into the casserole with the stock and the bouquet garni. Simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Taste for seasoning.

Add the pickling onions and the mushrooms and cook for another 30 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Serve with Leopard’s Leap 2020 Culinaria Grand Vin.