Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 – 3 tablespoons Worchester or soy sauce
• 1 – 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Margarine
• 3 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1kg Cubed beef
• 2 large Onions, chopped
• Peri-peri powder/sauce OR 3 or 4 small Hot red chili peppers, stemmed and chopped (retain the seeds)
• 6 - 8 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Flour
• 1 cup Beef stock
• 1/2 cup brandy or 1 cup Red wine
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Sugar ***
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Bread for dunking
  
  

Method
Marinade the beef in a mixture of Worchester sauce (or soy sauce) and soy sauce for between 30 – 60 minutes. This will ensure that even the tougher cuts of meat are tender once cooked. Rinse marinade off meat before browning.

In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 tablespoon oil. When the margarine is melted and sizzling, add about ¼ of the beef and brown well. Remove the beef cubes from saucepan, place in a bowl and set aside. Repeat with the remainder of beef, but in three batches. Add 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 tablespoon oil between the batches as needed. Each batch should brown for about 3 minutes – 4 minutes so the juices are sealed within the cubes. Remove the beef cubes and

Reduce heat and add the onions, chilli and their seeds, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion/garlic mixture and stir in.  Add boiling water to the level of the onion mix and stir for about 2 minutes or until thick.

Add the stock, red wine (or brandy), soya sauce, balsamic, bay leaves and the left over juices in the meat bowl. Stir until the sauce thickens (add boiling water to get the right consistency). Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the beef cubes.

• If it is a tougher cut of meat, simmer for about 20 minutes or until beef is tender and cooked.
• If it is a cut such a rump or sirloin steak use the pan-frying to ensure your required cooking level i.e. medium rare. Only stir the cubes into the sauce, do not cook it any further.

Serve in bowls with fresh bread rolls and butter.

*** Depending on quality of wine, sauce may have a bitter taste. Add sugar if necessary.
This should not be necessary if brandy is used instead of red wine, but will depend on
personal tastes.