French Beef Stew

This is my favourite stew recipe. It's a bit expensive to make and little fussy to prepare but well worth the time and expense. Besides, the smell alone while it's cooking is worth the trouble!

• Ready In: 14 hrs
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2  lbs stewing beef, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2  cups red wine
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  whole cloves
• 1  onion, cut into quarters
• 1  clove garlic
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 6  slices bacon, diced
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1  teaspoon thyme
• 1 1⁄2 cups  beef stock
•  salt and pepper
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 12  mushrooms, quartered if large
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine beef, wine, bay leaf, cloves, onion and garlic.
2. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 4-12 hours.
3. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in large skillet and cook bacon until crispy; remove and set aside to drain.
4. Remove beef from marinade and pat dry.
5. Discarde marinade, reserving onion and garlic.
6. Dredge beef with flour to coat.
7. Brown on all sides in remaining bacon drippings in skillet, adding more butter if needed.
8. Place browned beef in oven-proof casserole dish.
9. Add onion and garlic from marinade, the thyme, beef stock and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
11. In skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and cook mushrooms until golden brown.
12. Stir in crispy bacon and season with salt and pepper.
13. When stew is done, serve with mushrooms and bacon and sprinkle with parsley.