- 6
Ingredients
- For the brown-braised onions:
- 6-oz. chunk of bacon
- 1 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3 lb. lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 3 cups full-bodied, young red wine, such as Beaujolais, Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux-St. Émilion, Burgundy or Chianti
- 2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
- 1 Tbs. tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1 bay leaf, crumbled
- 1 1/2 Tbs. butter
- 1 1/2 Tbs. oil
- 18 to 24 small white onions, peeled
- 1/2 cup brown stock or canned beef bouillon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Herb bouquet (4 fresh parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf and 1/4 tsp. thyme tied in cheesecloth)
- For the sautéed mushrooms:
- 2 Tbs. butter
- 1 Tbs. oil
- 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, quartered
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons, or sticks, each 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long. In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 quarts of water to a simmer. Add the rind and bacon and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Preheat an oven to 450°F
In a 9- to 10-inch ovenproof casserole that is 3 inches deep, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon (reserve the rind) and sauté until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Reheat the oil and bacon fat in the casserole and sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the bowl with the bacon.
In the same fat, brown the carrot and onion. Pour out the sautéing fat.
Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set the casserole uncovered in the middle position of the preheated oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return it to the oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.) Remove the casserole and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F
Stir in the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and the reserved bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover the casserole and set it in the lower third of the oven. Cook, regulating the heat so the liquid simmers very slowly, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
Meanwhile, prepare the brown-braised onions:
In a fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil. When they are bubbling, add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has evaporated, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the herb bouquet.
To prepare the sautéed mushrooms:
In a fry pan over high heat, melt the butter with the oil. As soon as the foam has begun to subside, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as the mushrooms have browned lightly, remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
When the beef is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the cooked onions & mushrooms over the meat.
Skim the fat off the sauce in the saucepan. Simmer the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or bouillon. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. The recipe may be completed in advance at this point.
***Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in the casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and garnish with parsley sprigs.