A dish to warm you in Autumn and Winter using topside as it should be used as opposed to roasting.
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Preheat the oven to 160°C. Heat half the oil in a flameproof casserole dish and brown the topside quickly in the hot oil. Remove from the dish.
Heat the remaining oil in the casserole and fry (sweat) the onions and garlic until softened. Add the tomato purée and cook for a further couple of minutes. Add 500ml cold water bouquet garni, rosemary, mushrooms and red wine and bring to the boil.
Return the beef to the pan, cover and place in the oven for 3-3½ hours. When ready to serve, remove the beef from the pan and place onto a serving dish. Cover with kitchen foil and keep warm. Remove the bouquet garni from the casserole.
Mix the cornflour to a paste with a little cold water and stir into the red wine sauce. Bring to the boil and cook until thickened.
Taste and season, and serve the sauce spooned over slices of the beef.
Serve with garlic mash and savoy cabbage with bacon lardons.
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