Boeuf Bourguignon

Cut the beef chuck into large cubes of about 3 x 3 cm. Remove any tough sinew and season the meat with salt and pepper.

Cut the bacon into strips. Finely chop the garlic, roughly chop the onion, and cut the carrots, celery and tomatoes into even pieces. Clean the pearl onions and mushrooms.

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot. Fry the bacon until golden and crisp. Remove the bacon and leave the fat in the pot.

Brown the meat in several batches in the bacon fat, so it gets a good crust on all sides. Set the browned meat aside.

Add a little butter to the pot and fry the onion, garlic, carrots, tomatoes and celery for a few minutes, until the onion becomes glossy and the vegetables get a little color.

Stir in tomato paste and thyme. Return the meat and bacon to the pot, sprinkle over the flour and mix well.

Pour in red wine and beef stock while stirring. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and let the stew simmer for about 1.5 hours, until the meat is tender.

Melt a little butter in a frying pan while the stew cooks. Fry the pearl onions until golden, set aside and cook the mushrooms in the same way.

Fold the pearl onions and mushrooms into the stew near the end of cooking. Let everything simmer until the onions are tender and the flavors have settled.

Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.