Beef and bacon casserole with crispy potato topping

¼ cup plain flour
1 kg chuck, blade or shin
50g butter
1 Tbs olive oil
12 pickling onions
250g button mushrooms
100g piece of speck
4 garlic cloves
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 Tbs tomato paste
4 sprigs thyme
1 dried bay leaf

Topping
80g butter
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp thyme leaves
4 Pontiac potatoes

Preheat oven to 160. Toss 3cm pieces of beef in flour with seasoning.
In flameproof casserole dish brown meat in batches in half of the oil and butter. Set aside.
Sauté mushrooms and onions until golden brown in remaining oil and butter.
Add 1cm pieces of spec and crushed garlic. Cook for 2 mins.
Return meat to pan and add wine, stock and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.
Add thyme and bay leaf. Place in the oven covered for 2 – 2 ½ hours.
When meat is tender remove from the oven and turn up to 200.
Toss thinly sliced potatoes in melted butter, garlic and thyme. Arrange on top of casserole.
Place back in the oven uncovered till potatoes are golden brown and cooked through, about 30 mins.

Source: Diana, ‘Notebook’