The Flemish carbonade! A delight

Ingredients (6 people)

4 sprigs of dried thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cloves
8 slices (160g) gingerbread
salt pepper
3 tbsp brown vergeoise (or brown sugar)
1 liter blond gold amber beer
6 onions
20g unsalted butter
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1.5 kg of beef for braising (lodging, chuck, twin, etc.)
Preparation

In a casserole dish, brown the slices of meat in the melted butter. (twice if the casserole is small). Season. Add flour and onions. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes while stirring, to soften the onions without coloring them.

Add the vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beer, 50 cl of water, the vergeoise, the thyme, the bay leaf, the cloves and 5 slices of gingerbread cut into pieces. Bring to the boil, cover, lower the heat to simmer for 2 hours 45 minutes.

Remove the lid, increase the heat and cook uncovered, stirring, until the sauce has reduced by half.

Toast the remaining slices of gingerbread and cut them into cubes.
Serve with grilled gingerbread cubes.