Provencal Beef Daube

• 1 large celery stick
  2 bay leaves
  7 sprigs fresh thyme and parsley, plus handful fresh parsley leaves for the persillade garnish
  1 kg lean braising steak
  4 tbsp olive oil
  225g thick-cut rindless streaky bacon, cut into strips
  3 onions, halved and thinly sliced
  6 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 1 fat clove, sliced, for the persillade garnish
  600ml red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
  200ml beef stock, preferably home-made
  350g carrots, cut into small chunky pieces
  400g can chopped tomatoes
  2 salted anchovies, rinsed and chopped
  3 large strips pared orange zest
  20g softened butter
  20g plain flour
  100g small black olives
  

Recipe

Make a bouquet garni by cutting the celery in half and sandwiching the bay and herb sprigs in between. Tie everything into a tight bundle with some string.

Cut the steak into large chunky pieces. Heat 3 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well coloured all over. Season. Add the bacon to the pan and fry until golden brown. Set aside with the beef.

Add the remaining oil and the onions to the casserole and fry for 10-12 minutes until richly browned. Add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes more. Add the wine and simmer vigorously, scraping the base of the casserole to release the caramelised juices, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150C/fan/130C/gas 2. Stir in the stock, then return the beef and bacon to the casserole with the carrots, tomatoes, anchovies, orange zest, bouquet garni, season. Cover with foil and a tight-fitting lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours or until meltingly tender.

Shortly before it is ready, make the persillade garnish by chopping together the extra parsley and garlic.

Mash the butter and flour together to make a thickening paste (beurre manie).

Remove the daube from the oven, uncover and skim off any excess oil. Discard the bouquet garni and orange and bring to a gentle simmer on the stove. Whisk in the beurre manie paste a little at a time until thickened. Stir in the olives. Simmer for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the persillade garnish. Serve with pasta or mashed potato.

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