Beef Ragu

Ingredients (8 servings):

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1.3kg beef chuck steak, cut into 5cm chunks
• 4 eschalots, peeled, roots intact, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cup dry red wine (or 1 cup beef stock)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup Beef stock
• 4 small red chillies, halved lengthways

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper. Cook, in 2 batches, for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add eschalots, garlic, carrot and celery to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until starting to brown.
4. Add thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.
5. Add wine. Cook for 2 minutes or until reduced by half.
6. Return beef to pan. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, stock and 1½ cups cold water. Increase heat to high.
7. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered, for 2 hours or until beef is tender.
8. Stir in chilli. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Roughly shred beef before serving.