Belgian Beef Stew with Chocolate | Stoverij Recipe

Ingredients

• 500g beef chuck, cut into large chunks
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
• ½ Spanish onion, diced
• 1 stick celery, thinly sliced
• ¼ leek roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 30g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 splash olive oil
• 1L good-quality beef stock
• 25g butter
• 1 sprig thyme(plus extra to garnish)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 500ml bottle porter or stout chocolate safari is perfect
• 50 g 70 % dark chocolate (unsweetened or low-sugar)
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper