Boeuf a La Bourguignonne

Beef Stew with Pearl Onions, Bacon and Mushrooms. Once familiar with French food, you become aware how simple it really is and this dish is a prime example of a simple, but sensational dish. The technique for cooking this stew is braising. The cooking liquid will impart a good bit of flavor to the sauce. The traditional liquid for this dish is red wine, but other regions of France may use white wine, tomatoes, cider or even water, along with vegetables more plentifully grown in that region. We love to make this dish for company because the leftovers are even better, reheated. This dish is excellent made 1 day in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat over low heat. Prep time does not include marinating time. Adapted from the Take-Out Menu cookbook, posted for ZWT5.

• Ready In: 3 hrs
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 lbs  beef  chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 1⁄4 cups dry red wine
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch sections
• 1  stalk celery, cut into 1-inch sections
• 3  garlic cloves, smashed
•  bouquet garni (1 bay leaf and 3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, tied together with a piece of string)
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 8  slices  thick-cut bacon, diced
• 1  cup  beef stock
• 5  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2  cups  white pearl onions, blanched & peeled (or frozen pearl onions)
• 1⁄2 lb cremini mushroom, quartered (or button)
• 1  tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, 2 cups of wine, the chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic and bouquet garni. Marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Strain the meat and vegetables from the wine, reserving the wine. Separate the meat from the vegetables. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy and brown, then transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain.
4. Slowly add the marinated beef to the hot bacon fat. Don't crowd the pan or the meat won't brown. Depending on the size of the pan, you may want to brown the meat in two or three batches. Let the meat brown on one side before turning it.
5. Once all the meat is browned, return it to the pan, add the marinated vegetables, reserved wine marinade, and beef stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and turn the heat to low. Check the pot after about 5 minutes to make sure that it isn't simmering too high. You want a little bubble every few seconds, but not a boil. Cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender when pierced with the point of a knife.
6. Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter, the pearl onions, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Brown the onions, giving them a toss every now and then to keep them from burning.
7. After 5 minutes, add the mushrooms and continue to cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes more. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine and cook until no liquid remains in the pan, about 1 minute. Set aside.
8. When the stew is done, strain the meat and vegetables, being sure to reserve the liquid. Cool the meat and vegetables, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Pick out the bouquet garni and discard. Return the liquid to the pan and heat over medium heat until it boils, then cook down until about 1 1/2 cups of liquid remains, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Mix the flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter together with a fork, then whisk into the simmering sauce. The sauce will thicken and become velvety. Return the meat and vegetables to the pot and add the mushroom-onion mixture along with the bacon. Heat the stew to a simmer to reheat all the ingredients.
10. Sprinkle the parsley over the stew and serve hot directly from the pot.
11. Note: In this recipe, use a wine that you might be drinking with this dish. Typically the French would use a Burgundy wine (pinot noir) in this recipe but feel free to use a merlot, zinfandel, Syrah, or Shiraz. They all work just fine.