This classic French beef stew is full of rich flavours brought about by using a number of herbs which create a delicious meal.

For best results, refrigerate the beef with wine and herbs overnight.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 kg gravy beef or chuck steak (diced into cubes)

4 tblsp plain flour for dusting beef

7 or 8 sprigs if thyme

3 fresh bay leaves

Half cup of flat leaf parsley

 2 tsp herbs de Provence

Half cup chopped sage leaves

3 cups red wine

2 cups vegetable stock

4 tblsp olive oil

10 shallots or small pickling onions

50 gr butter

200 gr small button mushrooms

200 gr bacon, chopped with rind removed

Salt and pepper to taste

TO PREPARE:

The night before making this, place beef with herbs and wine in the fridge to marinate.

Next day, preheat oven to 180 degrees. Drain the juice from the beef and set it aside. Heat a large frying pan and add oil. Roll the beef in flour and brown the meat in the pan in a couple of batches. Place the meat into a casserole dish and pour the reserved marinade and vegetable stock over the beef. Add salt and pepper.

Cover the dish and cook in the oven for about 2 hours. Add water if the liquid no longer covers the ingredients. Turn the meat a couple of times during cooking.

Heat oil with butter in a frying pan and add the onions, cooking for about ten minutes. Remove and set them aside. Add mushrooms with a bit more butter to the same pan and cook for a few minutes, then set them aside.

Cook bacon until crispy .Then add onions, mushrooms and bacon to the beef and cook for another half hour in the oven.  Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with mashed potato and vegetables of your choice.

Bone Broth is a savoury, nutrient-dense, and collagen-rich liquid made from simmering marrow-rich animal bones in water for an extended period of time. Vegetables like celery, carrots, and onions, fresh herbs, and garlic can be added for extra flavor.

Adding some apple cider vinegar or white vinegar helps break down the animal proteins and connective tissues. This aided breakdown helps provide a broth higher in protein and collagen.

YOU WILL NEED

Stock pot
Roasting Pans
Mesh Strainer
Beef Marrow Bones or other bones of choice (you can mix bones)
A few carrots, some celery
An onion
Apple Cider Vinegar
Fresh herbs of choice (not required)
Garlic bulb - (not required, it's up to personal choice)
Cinnamon sticks, star anise, peppercorns (personal choice)
Salt - to be added at the end

METHOD
Cover beef bones in water in a stock pot over heat and blanch the bones for 10-15 minutes - this step results in a clearer broth but is not vital. Once blanched, drain and rinse.

Heat your oven to 230 degrees and transfer the bones and vegetables (carrots, onions, garlic, celery) to the roasting pans. Avoid piling them all on top of each other- use two roasting pans, if necessary. Roast for 30 minutes before gently tossing the bones and vegetables, and roasting for an additional 15-30 minutes more. Roasting equals flavor!

Now transfer the roasted bones and vegetables back to the stockpot, (make sure it has been washed), add 12 cups water (or more to make sure bones are covered) and bring to boil. Scrape up any brown bits and juices remaining in the roasting pan using a metal spatula and a little water, if needed, and add to the pot too

Add peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon sticks (if you are choosing to add extra flavours), and a big dash of apple cider vinegar (definitely add vinegar!)

Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a low boil. 

Reduce heat to low and simmer, with the lid slightly ajar, skimming any foam or excess fat, as needed. Simmer for at least 8-12 hours or up to 24 hours. Add more water if needed to make sure bones and vegetables remain fully submerged.

If the vegetables (particularly the carrots) turn too soft and mushy at any point throughout cooking, use a slotted spoon to remove. Enjoy as a delicious snack.

Once the bones have simmered and your broth is ready, you will need to strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.

Set aside the broth to cool and allow the bones to cool (see more on storage and cooling below).

Add a couple of handfuls of ice to your broth to expedite cooling and cover with a lid. Transfer your broth to the refrigerator and allow it to cool completely. A thick layer of fat and a bottom layer that is your bone broth (which should look like gelatinous brown jelly) will result. You can scoop off the top layer of fat leaving behind the healthy bone broth, minus the fat.

Add salt to taste. If you’re expecting your bone broth to taste identical to your favorite Vietnamese bowl of Pho without adding any salt then I am sorry to say you will be very disappointed. You will need salt. Exactly how much depends entirely on you.

Fresh herb and lupin dip  INGREDIENTS: 150 g lupin flakes 40 g olive oil 3 tblsp tahini paste 3 cloves crushed garlic 4 tblsp lemon juice 1 tblsp chopped sage leaves 2 tblsp chopped parsley 2 tblsp chopped mint 1 tblsp chopped basil leaves 1 tsp herbs de Provence 1 heaped tsp salt   TO PREPARE: Put lupin flakes into a pot of hot water and boil for 2 minutes.  Drain the water from the lupins and set the lupins aside while preparing the remaining ingredients. Fry, in a 1 tblsp of the oil, the crushed garlic, chopped parsley and sage till garlic is just tender. Put the lupin flakes into food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until all ingredients are well mixed and you are happy with the consistency of this dip. Serve with biscuits or julienned vegetables.