Beef Bourguignon

If you're going to make this delectable French stew, you have to go with Julia Child's beef bourguignon recipe from the cookbook that made her famous, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Every recipe I've looked up for this dish is pretty much a reprint of her original recipe. It's so extraordinary, you'll find that no one has really tinkered too much with this . There is no improving that which is already perfect! If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and that definitely applies here.

I'll admit, it's an arduous process. From start to finish, it takes about 5 or so hours to make, so it's definitely something to make on a day off or the weekend. It is absolutely, 100% worth it. On top of having a melt in your mouth, flavorful beef stew like you've never had before, your house will smell like an amazing French bistro for days. Who wouldn't want that?! It's been years since I've been to Paris, but this dish takes me back. And if you've never been, you can experience the wonders of French cooking in your own home. Sit down with a generous bowl of this stew, pour a nice glass of Pinot Noir or Merlot, and if you're really feeling the French vibe, play a traditional French radio station on Pandora to be transported to la France!

Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

6 pieces of thick cut bacon

3 Tbl olive oil

2-3 lb stew meat

3 carrots, sliced into coins

1 yellow or white onion, sliced

3 C beef stock

2 1/2 C red wine (I use Pinot Noir)

1 Tbl tomato paste

2 Tbl flour

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

9 sprigs thyme

small bunch parsley

3 Tbl butter

3/4 lb white mushrooms, quartered

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6-7 oz frozen pearl onions

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice bacon into 1/4 inch strips. Heat 1 Tbl olive oil in a large dutch oven or oven safe pot over medium high heat. Add bacon, and cook until browned. Scoop out bacon with a frying spider or slotted spoon into a bowl, and reserve the bacon grease.

2. Pat stew meat dry. Cook the stew meat in batches to brown on all sides. The beef doesn't need to be cooked all the way through yet - you just want to brown the sides. Transfer the stew meat to the bowl with the bacon.

3. Add onion and carrots to the dutch oven and brown, about 8-10 minutes. Return beef, bacon, and bacon drippings back into the dutch oven with the carrots and onions. Add the salt, pepper, flour, and stir. Put pot or dutch oven into the oven uncovered for 4 minutes. Stir, and return to the oven, uncovered, for another 4 minutes.

4. Decrease oven temperature to 325 degrees. Tie together about 6 sprigs of thyme so that you'll be able to pull it out of the pot when finished. Add wine and beef stock. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, 2 bay leaves, and thyme bundle. Cover the pot, and place back into the oven and let braise for 3-4 hours, taking out to stir occasionally.

5. To prepare the pearl onions, tie a bunch of parlsey and about 3-4 sprigs of thyme together in a bundle. Heat 1 Tbl of butter and 1 Tbl olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in the herb bundle. Wait until butter and oil get hot, and add in the onions,1 bay leaf, and 1/2 C beef broth. Let it come to a simmer, and decrease heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl when finished.

6. For the mushrooms, heat 1 Tbl butter, and 1/2 Tbl oil in a pan or skillet. Add 1/2 of the mushrooms and cook until browned. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl with the onions. Heat another 1/2 Tbl oil and 1 Tbl butter and brown the other half of the mushrooms. Remove dutch oven or pot from oven. Add in the mushrooms and onions, pull out the herb bundle and bay leaves, and you're set for one of the most delicious meals you'll ever eat!