Short rib bourguignon

Method

• step 1

  A day or two before serving, heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 2. Heat half the sunflower oil in a large flameproof casserole dish over a medium-high heat. Season the ribs and brown well on all sides, about 10 mins. Remove to a plate. Heat the rest of the oil in the dish, then brown the garlic, all the carrots, the onion, celery, thyme, bay and star anise for 10 mins, scraping any sticky bits up using a wooden spoon. Scatter in the flour, cook for 2 mins, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for a few minutes more. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. (You can carefully ignite the wine to flambé the mixture if you like, as this will burn off the alcohol more quickly, but it is not essential.) Add the stock and return the meat to the pan along with any resting juices. Bring to a simmer, stir, put the lid on and transfer to the oven for 3 hrs 30 mins-4 hrs, turning the meat and stirring every hour or so until the meat is tender.

• step 2

  Leave the stew to cool, then lift the short ribs and whole carrots out onto a plate. Tip the rest of the stew into a sieve or colander set over a large bowl. Return the meat and carrots to the casserole. Squash the mixture in the sieve to extract all the roasting juices and garlic, then discard any solids. For the best results, chill the ribs, carrots and sauce overnight. Will keep covered and chilled for up to three days.

• step 3

  On the day you want to serve, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the short ribs and carrots in a roasting tray and bake for 30 mins to reheat. Remove any solidified fat from the surface of the sauce (this can be discarded or used to make roasties), then simmer in a pan for 10-15 mins, or until thickened to your liking. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until sizzling and fry the bacon lardons and pearl onions or shallots for 15 mins until the bacon is crisp and the onions have softened and browned. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and fry until cooked through. Tip the contents of the frying pan into the sauce, stir and simmer for a few minutes. Serve the short ribs and carrots with mashed potatoes and plenty of sauce spooned over. Scatter over some crispy onions, if you like.