I love Autumn -it's my absolute favourite time for food during the year. Steaming stews, comforting casseroles, crumbly crumbles - there's a reason the food of this season is called hearty. The French know how to do comfort and richness and they know how to do it well. We have beef casserole/brown stew they have boeuf bourguignon -it might be hard to pronounce but don't let that put you off. The dish traditionally called boeuf á la Bourguignonne comes from the Burgundy region of France and was in it's day a peasants meal. Traditionally you serve this with braised onions -I didn't have any little ones so I left them out. This is a very tasty Autumnal supper that won't disappoint a crowd -I mean there's a whole bottle of wine plus brandy, tender slow cooked meat and fluffy mashed potato -it's a strong contender for my 'death row final dish wish list'...

What you need; Serves 4

1 bottle of Burgundy red or another red -doesn't have to be too pricey but must not taste like dish water
800g chuck or shin beef
3tbs flour
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
500ml beef stock
50ml brandy
a bouquet garni
salt & pepper
4 carrots- peeled and cut into large chunks
250g button mushrooms or small mushrooms
4 streaky rashers or some lardons
potatoes

What you need to do;

put a pan on a high heat with a drizzle of oil
put the beef into a bowl or bag and shake over the flour
put the wine in a pot and reduce to 2/3
turn the oven on to 140'C (fan) / Gas 3
brown your meat on the pan -remove
add some more oil into the pan, turn down the heat and throw in the onion sliced and the garlic crushed or finely chopped cook until soft
add the wine, brandy and meat back into the pan simmer for 5 mins
take a casserole dish add the contents of the pan, plus the bouquet garni, beef stock, salt and pepper -cook for 1.5-2.5 hrs or until the meat is tender

in the meantime steam the carrots until al dente
steam the mushrooms until cooked -add both to the casserole dish when the meat is tender -allow enough time for them to warm through
cut up the rashers and fry until crispy -add just before serving
serve with fluffy mashed potato

Julia Childs thoughts on this dish were;

''Certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man''

And if you would like to cook it as she did -here you go