Ingredients
800 g (1 3/4 1b) chuck steak, diced into 4 cm (1 1/2 in) cubes
25m1 (1 fl oz) red wine vinegar
600 ml (1 pint) full-bodied red wine (Rhône or Rioja)
150 ml (5 fl oz) water
2 tablespoons groundnut or other non-scented oil
100 g (4 oz) white button mushrooms, washed and patted dry
20 pickling onions or shallots, peeled
1 dessertspoon plain flour
1 bouquet garni
5 black peppercorns, crushed, or 3 pinches freshly ground black pepper
300 g (11 oz) Roma or beef tomatoes, skinned, quartered and seeded
4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
salt

Method
Preheat the oven to 275F (140C) Gas 1.

Cooking the dish
In a saucepan, boil the vinegar to reduce it completely, then add the red wine. Reduce to 250 ml (8 fl oz), add the water and reserve.

Separately, heat the oil in the casserole and colour the diced beef over a strong heat for 8-10 minutes. Add the button mushrooms, onions or shallots and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour, stir and cook for a further minute. Add the reduced wine, the bouquet garni, crushed peppercorns (or pepper), tomatoes and garlic.

Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Serving the dish
Remove the dish from the oven, taste, correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve to your guests.

VARIATIONS
Wild rice or potato purée are extremely good accompaniments for this dish.

You could also add 15 caraway or coriander seeds for a different flavour.

WINE
A full-bodied Claret, a Rhône red or a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon would be the solution here. You can also find in supermarkets some very good Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon, often very reasonably priced.