Rich and Comforting Beef Bourguignon

vegetable oil

bacon lardons

small shallots (peeled, 6 of them cut in half, the rest left whole)

lbs beef braising steak (i.e chuck or skirt, cut into large chunks)

plain/all-purpose flour

salt

black pepper

tomato purée

x 750ml bottle red wine (it doesn’t have to be an expensive wine, I used Shiraz)

beef stock

bay leaves

dried thyme

chantenay carrots (peeled)

brown mushrooms (thickly sliced)