We’re still dreaming about the delicious slow cook, red wine marinated beef dish chef Dustin Rogers prepared for our Gutsy Kangaroo Island event at Springs Road Kangaroo Island.  As winter really sets in, this is the perfect comfort dish to keep you warm through the long nights.  Great for a dinner party as you can prepare it well in advance.

Beef Daube
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 x large onions
2 kg beef chuck, cut into 4cm dice
2 x large carrots, thickly sliced widthways
6 x garlic cloves, sliced
2 x celery stalks, including tops, strings removed and coarsely chopped
1 x 8cm-strip of dried orange peel
1 x bouquet garni
1 x cinnamon quill
10 x black peppercorns, crushed
5 x juniper berries, crushed
5 x cloves
750ml Springs Road Wines Shiraz
125ml good-quality aged red wine vinegar
Plain flour, for dusting
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
300gm bacon or pancetta, cut into batons
40 Kangaroo Island local olives
1lt beef stock

Method

1. Coarsely chop one onion and set aside. Thinly slice the remaining onions and place in a non-reactive bowl with beef, carrot, garlic, celery, orange peel, bouquet garni, and spices, wine and vinegar. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Remove beef from marinade (reserve marinade), pat dry with absorbent paper and dust with flour. Heat half the olive oil in a large flame-proof casserole over medium heat. Cook meat in batches, stirring occasionally, until brown (5-7 minutes), adding more oil if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add coarsely chopped onion to pan with bacon and sauté over medium heat until soft (5-7 minutes). Add meat and reserved marinade to the pan. Add stock, to cover meat and vegetables. Bring to a boil over low-medium heat, then reduce heat to very low and simmer until the sauce thickens and the meat is tender (4-5 hours). Season generously to taste, remove from heat and cool completely. Skim excess fat from the surface and discard. Add olives and reheat over very low heat until warmed through (20-30 minutes).
4. Serve with buttered baby vegetables, your choice of pasta or potatoes, mixed leaf salad chopped parsley.