Instructions: Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2.

Tie the herbs andorange zest with string to make a bouquet garni.

Fry the bacon in the oil until lightly browned. Scoop out and spread over the base of an ovenproof casserole.

Fry the onions over a moderate heat in the same fat until golden and add to the casserole.

Brown the meat in the fat over a high heat in batches.

Arrange on top of the onions.

Add the bouquet garni the carrots tomatoes tormato puree garlic salt and pepper. Cover with the pork rinds.

Pour the excess fat out of the pan and pour in the wine.

Bring to the boil scraping in the residues.

Pour into the casserole.

Add the brandy to the pan warm quickly and set alight at arms length.

When the flames die down pour into the casserole.

Add enough water to almost cover the contents.

Cover lightly and place in the oven.

Cook gently for 34 hours stirring once or twice until the meat is tender.

After 3 hours check the state of the liquid.

If it is a little watery uncover the pan and Iet it reduce down then serve.

Serve with buttered noodles.

Serves 6
This is Frances most famous beef stew and it comes perhaps not surprisingly in many forms. This one iswonderfully fragrant and aromatic.

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