Classic Beef Stew, · 3 servings

Heat the oven to 163 °C with a rack in the lower middle.

Pat the 680 g boneless beef chuck, well marbled dry and season it with the 5 ml salt and 2.5 ml freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of the 22 ml olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Brown the beef in three batches, about 5 min per batch, adding another tablespoon of oil for each batch. Set the browned beef aside on a plate.

Add the 1 yellow onion, 3 ½ cloves garlic and 15 ml balsamic vinegar to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, for about 5 min.

Stir in the 11 ml tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Return the beef and its juices, sprinkle over the 30 ml all purpose flour and stir for 1 min to 2 min.

Add the 235 ml dry red wine, 235 ml beef broth, 235 ml water, ½ leaf bay leaf, 1 ml dried thyme and 3.5 ml sugar. Stir to loosen anything stuck to the bottom and bring to a boil.

Cover the pot, move it to the oven and braise for 2 h.

Stir in the 2 carrots and 225 g small white boiling potatoes, such as baby Yukon Golds, cover and return to the oven for about 1 h more.

Fish out the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot with fresh parsley, chopped, to serve, or cool and refrigerate overnight for even better flavour.