Stew with rosemary chips

Ingredients

• 900 gbeef chuck
• 100 gdiced smoked bacon
• 2 pcsonions — large
• 1 pcswinter carrot — approx. 150 g
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 660 mldark Belgian beer
• 2 tbspapple syrup
• 1½ tbspcoarse mustard
• 1 pcsslice of brown bread
• 2 pcsbay leaves
• 3 sprigsfresh thyme
• 1 tbspbalsamic vinegar
• 20 gunsalted butter
• black pepper — to taste
• salt — to taste
• 1 kgwaxy potatoes
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2 sprigsfresh rosemary
• ½ tspcoarse sea salt
• 4 tbspmayonnaise

Method

1. 1

   Cut the beef chuck into pieces of about 4 cm. Pat dry and season with pepper and a little salt.

2. 2

   Cut the onions into half-rings and the carrot into small cubes. Finely chop the garlic.

3. 3

   Fry the diced bacon for 3–4 minutes in a spacious braising pan. Remove from the pan.

4. 4

   Add the butter and brown the beef firmly all over in batches. Remove from the pan.

5. 5

   Fry the onion and carrot for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.

6. 6

   Pour the dark beer into the pan and scrape any bits from the bottom.

7. 7

   Return the meat and bacon to the pan and add apple syrup, bay leaves, and thyme.

8. 8

   Spread the slice of bread with coarse mustard and place it mustard-side down on top of the stew.

9. 9

   Bring gently to a boil and then let it simmer without a lid on low heat for 2–2½ hours. Stir occasionally.

10. 10

    Stir the balsamic vinegar into the thickened sauce. Remove bay leaves and thyme. Season further with pepper and salt if necessary.

11. 11

    Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Cut the potatoes into chips about 1 cm thick. Rinse briefly and pat very dry.

12. 12

    Mix the chips with olive oil and finely chopped rosemary and spread them in a single layer over a baking tray lined with baking paper.

13. 13

    Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Flip halfway through and sprinkle with sea salt after baking.

14. 14

    Serve the stew with the rosemary chips and mayonnaise.