Sauté about 500g of good casserole beef in olive oil over a high heat until well browned. Remove the beef from the pan then sauté 2 sliced red onions in the same pan until they start to soften and colour. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and sauté for a couple of minutes more. Put the beef back in the pan and sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of flour. Stir well to mix then add a wine glass full of port and simmer for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol. Add 1 litre of beef stock, a little dried thyme and seasoning, then pop in the oven with a lid on at 200c for about two hours, until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick and glossy. If the sauce needs thickening up towards the end of the cooking time, remove the lid and simmer the casserole on the hob.
This is a deliciously rich casserole and best served with something for the sauce to coat, such as mashed potato or rice.
