Enjoy all the flavour but save time and money with this simplified version of Julia Child's classic French dish. It's a heart-warming, make-ahead meal for wintry weather. Serve with mashed potato or sweet potato (or a mixture of the two) and ‘al dente' green beans.

Serves 6
Preparation time: about 30 mins
Cooking time: 1 hr 40 mins

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
800g gravy beef
1 large onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
150g (5oz) shortcut bacon, fat trimmed, chopped into large dice
½ tsp dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ cups red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
12 small white onions, peeled, and halved if large-ish (they may be called pickling onions)
300g (10oz) button mushrooms
¼ cup picked fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).

Chop the meat into 5cm (2in) chunks (remember, it shrinks when cooked).

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and all the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or flameproof casserole and brown the meat well in 2 batches on a high heat. Remove all meat from pan and set aside.

Add the sliced onion, carrots, bacon and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally on a low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and wine, bring to the boil and simmer for about 3 minutes until the wine has reduced a little. Stir in the stock, tomato paste, bay leaf and browned beef. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer on a low heat for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

While the beef bourguignon is gently cooking, place the small white onions on an oven tray lined with baking paper and mix with remaining butter that has been melted, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until soft.

Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and continue cooking, covered, for 15 minutes until the meat is tender and the mushrooms are softening. Stir in the roasted onions and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through. Top with parsley.