For most of last week, I wondered what had happened to the weather and why it was so bloody cold all of a sudden.

And then I remembered. November.

So, I suppose it’s only fair that days are getting chillier every week and there really is no point complaining about it.

It’s not even that bad to be honest. Biting & dry. Pretty much the best you could expect, really.

And then there’s the feeling of going back home to a steaming bowl of beef bourguignon and a glass of smooth red wine (my new fave, Pascual Toso’s Cabernet Sauvignon, in case you were wondering…)

Rich, intense and incredibly comforting, this classic French stew is much easier to make than you’d expect.

If you’re after a beautiful warming dish, try it; I’m sure it’ll meat all your expectations!

Beef Bourguignon (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10g butter
• 500g beef shin, diced
• 4 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 medium white onion, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 40cl red wine (I used Pascual Toso 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon*)
• 1 tsp corn flour
• salt & pepper
• spring onion, finely sliced (to serve)

1. Put the olive oil and butter into a big pot or Dutch oven. Fry the meat on all sides until well browned, season and set aside.

2. In the same pot, fry the bacon until slightly golden, then add the onion and garlic and cook until slightly golden.

3. Put the beef back in the pan. Add the carrots and the stock cube, then pour the wine on top, then sprinkle with the corn flour and mix well.

4. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 1.5h.

5. Remove the lid and cook for a while longer to give the sauce a change to thicken a bit.

6. Sprinkle with spring onion and serve immediately (it goes especially well with mashed potatoes or steamed rice and a little bit more of that red wine on the side) or pack & refrigerate/freeze, then reheat on a low heat, adding a bit of water if required.

*the bottle I used was gifted to me by the brand but all love for the age-old stew-and-wine combination my own.