So recently I lugged an oval Le Creuset back home and can’t wait to use it. For something fast, hearty and comfort food, Im going to whip up a simple beef stew.

Ingredients: Serves 6 – 8
200g thick sliced bacon, chopped into 1/4″ wide strips
Olive Oil 
1.5kg boneless beef chuck or good quality stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups good red wine such as Soft Red, or Pinot Noir
400g mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves,chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups low sodium beef broth or beef stock
2 bay leaves
2 parsnip
2 celery
bunch of thyme n rosemary

Instructions
1. In a large, oven-proof pot,(Im using my Le Creuset) sauté bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released. Remove bacon to a separate bowl.

2.While bacon is cooking, place beef in a large mixing bowl and season with ½ Tbsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle beef with ¼ cup flour and toss and ensure beef is evenly coated.

3. Transfer beef in batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over med/high heat, until beef is browned. Add olive oil if needed. Cook beef in batches or it won’t sear properly. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with bacon.

4. Add 2 cups wine to the pot and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot. Add sliced mushrooms and simmer over medium heat about 10 min. Return beef and bacon to the pot

5. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and add olive oil. Add sliced carrots, diced onion, sliced parsnip and 4 chopped garlic cloves, and saute 4 min. Add 2 Tbsp tomato paste and saute another minute. Transfer the veggies to the soup pot.

6. Add 4 cups beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, celery and ½ tsp pepper to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.

7. Transfer to a 180°C oven for 1 hour and 45 min. Beef will be very tender.