SMOKEY KORMA BEEF BOURGUIGNON

Recipe by Zandi’s Kitchen

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 rashers of streaky bacon, roughly chopped
• 1.5kg beef short rib cubes/chunks OR stewing stewing beef cubes (trimmed of fat)
• 2 large carrots sliced 
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½  teaspoons korma spice 
• 10 small shallots/pearl onions 
• 1 ½  cups (375ml) red wine (any)
• 400ml liquid beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Knorrox beef stock cube 
• 20g thyme sprigs
• Parsley, finely chopped (to garnish)
• 3 bay leaves
• 250g whole portabellini mushrooms 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Charcoal and firelighter (optional)

Method

Two-step cooking method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. 
2. Prepare fire on a braai stand. Once the fire is ready, pat dry the meat, season with salt  and brown the beef cubes over the fire, then transfer to a dish. (This is completely optional. Normally, you brown the meat in the pot). 
3. In the kitchen, heat the oil in a large cast iron pot. Sauté the bacon over medium heat for about 3-4 mins, until crisp and browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Using the same pot and oil, sauté the carrots, diced onions, and celery for about 3 mins until translucent, then add the minced garlic and korma spice and cook for 1 min. Put the bacon and beef cubes into the pot; add the beef stock cube and tomato paste, then stir well.
5. Sprinkle the flour over the meat then toss well and cook for 4 mins.
6. Add the shallots/pearl onions, wine and liquid stock so that the meat is just covered. Then add the thyme. Adjust the seasoning. Bring to a simmer.
7. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook for about 2 hours or until the meat is falling apart. In the last 30 mins of your cooking, add the mushrooms and continue to cook until they are ready.
8. Garnish with parsley and enjoy with mash or rice.