Irish beef stew

Ingredients

1.5kg/3lb 5oz Stewing beef, cut into cubes

175g/6oz Streaky bacon

3 tbsp Olive oil

12 Baby onions, peeled

18 Button mushrooms, left whole

3 Carrots, cut into quarters or 12 baby carrots, scrubbed and left whole

1 tbsp Chopped thyme

2 tbsp Chopped parsley

10 cloves of garlic, crushed and grated

425ml/15fl oz Chicken or beef stock

For the roux

50g/2oz Butter

50g/1.75oz Flour

Champ, to serve

Brown the beef and bacon in the olive oil in a hot casserole or heavy saucepan.
Remove the meat and toss in the onions, mushrooms and carrots, one ingredient at a time, seasoning each time.
Place these back in the casserole, along with the herbs and garlic.
Cover with stock and simmer for one hour or until the meat and vegetables are cooked.
To make the roux, in a separate pan melt the butter, add the flour and cook for two minutes.
When the stew is cooked, remove the meat and vegetables.
Bring the remaining liquid to the boil and add one tbsp of roux.
Whisk the mixture until the roux is broken up and the juices have thickened, allowing to boil.