BEEF BOURGUIGNON

By Silvermama

Obtained this recipe from a 2004 Gourmet Cookbook. Lengthy process. Nice recipe to enjoy with a bottle of wine, but you'll need to share some of it to include in this receipe.

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound thick-sliced bacon (3 slices), cut into l-inch-wide pieces
• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1 (4-inch) piece celery rib
• 4 fresh parsley stems (without leaves)
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled if desired and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry red wine, preferably Burgundy or Cotes du Rhone
• I pound small (1 1/2-inch-wide) boiling onions or pearl onions
• 1 pound mushrooms, trimmed, quartered if large

Preparation

Step 1

Be sure that you brown the beef very well. The high-heat reaction between the proteins and sugars on the surface of the
meat, known as the Maillard reaction, creates a layer of intense flavor, which gets distributed throughout during braising. Peeled boiled potatoes tossed with butter and parsley are the ideal
accompaniment.

Special equipment: kitchen string

Cook bacon in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain.

Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Divide flour between two large sealable plastic bags.
Divide beef between bags, seal bags, and shake to coat meat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a 6-to 8-quart wide heavy pot over
moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown beef well in 2 or 3 batches, without
crowding, adding remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil as needed. Transfer to a bowl.

Pour off any excess oil from pot, then add brandy and deglaze pot by boiling over high heat, stirring
and scraping up brown bits, for 1 minute. Pour over beef.

Tie celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves together with kitchen string to make a bouquet
garni (stick cloves into celery so they don't fall out). Heat 1 tablespoon butter in cleaned pot over
moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook bacon, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chopped onions,
garlic, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato
paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, meat with its juices, and bouquet garni, bring to a
simmer, and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is tender, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, blanch boiling onions in a 4-quart saucepan of boiling well-salted water for 1 minute;
drain (blanching onions makes peeling easier). Rinse under cold running water, then peel.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until foam subsides.
Add boiling onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned in patches. Season with salt and
pepper. Add 2 cups water (11/2 cups if using pearl onions), bring to a simmer, and simmer, partially
covered, until onions are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Increase heat and boil, uncovered, stirring
occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until
foam subsides. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until golden brown and any liquid mushrooms
give off has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

When meat is tender, stir onions and mushrooms into stew and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and
discard bouquet garni and skim any fat from surface of stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook's note:

• The beef bourguignon can be made up to 1 day ahead, and in fact it tastes even better made ahead,
because this gives the flavors time to develop. Cool, uncovered, then refrigerate, covered. Chilling
also makes it easy to remove fat from the surface.

Makes 8 servings.