Cinnamon beef daube with red wine, shallots and parsnip mash

The flavour of this stew really improves if it is made the day before, then gently reheated the following day. Which is what makes it so handy for entertaining.
Serves 4-6

1kg/2lb stewing steak, such as chuck or blade
450g/1lb small shallots or button onions, peeled
4 tablespoons olive oil
100g/4oz thick-cut streaky bacon or gammon steak, cut into short, fat strips (lardons)
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
7 garlic cloves, 6 crushed and 1 left whole
1 tablespoon tomato purÈe
300ml/10fl oz red wine
300ml/10fl oz beef stock
2 bay leaves
The leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
4 strips of pared orange zest
1 x 15cm/6 inch piece of cinnamon stick
A large handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
20g/3/4 oz plain flour
20g/3/4 oz softened butter
75g/3oz small black olives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the parsnip mash:
450g/1lb peeled floury potatoes
450g/1lb peeled parsnips
50g/2oz butter
A little milk

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 3. Cut the meat into chunky pieces each weighing about 90-100g/3 _ - 4oz. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, flameproof casserole, add the bacon or gammon lardons and fry briefly until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Now add another tablespoon of oil to the casserole and brown the beef in batches and set aside with the bacon. Add the vinegar to the pan and leave it to bubble, scraping up the caramelised juices from the bottom of the pan, until reduced by half. Pour over the bacon and beef in the bowl.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan with the shallots and fry them until nicely golden brown all over. Lift out and set aside. Add the crushed garlic and tomato purÈe to the pan and cook very briefly, then add the red wine and stock. Return the bacon, beef, vinegary juices and shallots to the casserole and add the bay leaves, thyme, orange zest, cinnamon stick, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Give everything a good stir, cover with a well fitting lid, transfer it to the oven and cook for 2 hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.
30 minutes or so before the daube is ready, put the peeled potatoes and parsnips into a pan of well-salted water, bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well, and when the steam has died down, return the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth. Put the parsnips into a food processor and blend briefly until just smooth, then stir into the potatoes with the butter and a little milk to make a smooth creamy mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Chop the remaining garlic clove and parsley together on a board and set aside. Blend together the flour and softened butter into a smooth paste. Remove the daube from the oven, uncover and skim off any excess oil from the surface. Bring to a gentle simmer on top of the stove, then stir in the butter-flour paste and olives and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and garlic, take to the table and serve with the parsnip mash.