A ‘daube’ is actually the dish that this French stew is traditionally cooked in. It’s usually made from terracotta and has a lid to hold in the moisture. In this recipe I use a flameproof casserole dish, which can be ceramic, enamelware or the traditional terracotta. However, if you have none of these, an ovenproof, heavy-based stainless steel pot will work just fine. This recipe hails from Provence, so the herbs play a very important role in the stew. The other key ingredient, aside from highquality beef, is good wine. I believe a very full-bodied red is what you need, such as a cabernet or a bordeaux and, as always, if you’re serving wine you should be drinking the same one that you cooked with. This dish is best served with lovely creamy mashed potato.