INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 300 g beef trimmings
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 4 sticks of celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 bunch of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree (passata)
- 150 ml sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 150 ml port
- 500 ml red wine
- 3 litres of good quality veal stock
METHOD
Place a large deep-sided frypan over medium heat. Add olive oil and sauté the beef trimmings until dark brown and well caramelized. Add the diced carrots, onion, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Add the tomato passata and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is sticky. Add the sherry vinegar and sugar and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the port, bring back to the boil and reduce the sauce by half (this should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the red wine and stock and reduce by half again (this should take about an hour).
Strain through a sieve lined with muslin cloth into another large saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce again until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon.
