• 1 kg beef cubes, about 3 cm dia
  • 1/2 kg baby shallots or pearl onions - peeled.
  • 1 large onion chopped.
  • 2 large tomatoes - chopped.
  • 1 tbs of tomato paste.
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves.
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into halves.
  • 300 ml Beef or Vegetable Stock
  • 1 sprig fresh Rosemary
  • 70 ml olive oil.
  • 150 ml red wine.
  • 2 tbs vinegar.
  • Fresh coarsely ground black pepper and salt.

Method:

Place frying pan on a high heat, add 1/2 of the oil and add beef cubes, stirring occasionally until meat is nicely browned.

Add the chopped onions and garlic. Continue cooking on a high heat, until the onions have turned soft.  (About 5mins)

Add wine and vinegar, leave on heat but covered for another 5 mins.

Next add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, rosemary, vegetable or beef stock  and a good pinch of black pepper.

Keep stirring while the ingredients blend, on a moderate heat.

Add the chopped tomatoes, wine, vinegar and tomato paste.

Turn out into a casserole dish (Terracota), with lid. Add hot water so as to cover the meat.

Cook in oven until the meat is nearly cooked – about one hour.

In the meantime, peel the baby shallots or pearl onions and shallow fry them in a little olive oil, until soft and glassy looking.

Add the shallots (but not the oil) to the simmering meat and leave all in the oven until the meat is thoroughly cooked (soft and tender) – at least another hour.

– add water if needed (it should not dry out completly), so that the dish has a rich thick sauce.

Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.