Carbonnade flamande (Flemish beef stew) with fries and mayonnaise

Cut the beef into equal cubes. Heat the butter in a pan and brown the beef cubes on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one tbsp. of flour over the beef. Then put the meat in a deep casserole and sprinkle another tbsp. of flour over it. Peel and roughly dice the onions. Sauté them together with the sugar in the fat of the meat until soft and golden brown. Then add a little water, bring to a boil and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the onions to the casserole. Next, pour in the beer and the beef broth (not cold so as not to ‘grab’ the meat). Add thyme, bay leaves and mustard and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 60 to 90 mins. Do not cover. The cooking time depends on the quality of the meat. Stir from time to time and check whether the meat is sufficiently cooked. Cover as soon as the sauce has the desired thickness.
The stew should preferably be served with homemade chips and a large spoonful of mayonnaise. To make the fries, peel 1 kg of floury potatoes, wash, and cut them by hand. The ideal Belgian fry is 1 cm think and 6-7 cm long. Do not wash the fries as this will remove the starch. Bake them twice, in vegetable oil or beef fat: first at 140-160 °C, so that they begin to cook but not brown, then, once cooled down, bake a second time at 180 °C until crisp and golden. Drain the fries well before serving.