Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 kg young tender boneless beef (cubed)

500 gm baby onion (peeled) 

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

3-4 garlic pods (crushed)

2 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp brown sugar

125 ml dry red wine

2 chicken bouillon cubes

30 gm butter

2 tbsp olive oil + extra (if needed)

Salt (to taste) + pepper + herbes de Provençe + 1 cinnamon stick (broken in 2) + 4 bay leaves

Method: 

Heat a wide skillet on high.  Add butter and oil.  Lower heat to medium.  Stir in baby onions until slightly browned on all sides.  Remove with a slotted ladle on to a plate aside and cover.  Add all seasoning and herbs.  Stir until fragrant.  Add beef cubes; in batches.  Stir to sear.  Remove aside on to a plate.  Bring beef batches back to skillet.  Make room in the middle to add chopped onion.  Stir to wilt and brown from skillet residue.  Add extra oil; if necessary.  Add garlic.  Stir for a few moments until translucent then incorporate with onion.  Add tomato.  Stir for a moment or two.  Add wine, sugar and bouillon cubes.  Allow to simmer over medium-low heat until alcohol evaporates and flavour only is left; (this occurs when liquid is reduced and becomes slightly sticky).  Lower heat to medium-low.  Allow to simmer; covered.  When beef is half done; add baby onions and allow to cook and caramelise with beef and rest of ingredients.  When beef is done, bake covered in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius; for 15 minutes only.  Serve with fluffed rice, or boiled buttered pasta, or with mashed potatoes.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly