Once in a while my friends request me to prepare my Boeuf Bourguignon. It takes a bit of preparation but each morsel is flavorful and almost melts in your mouth... This recipe serves around 4 to 5 people.
First I sautee roughly cut 1 large onion and 1 large carrot in a little oil and butter for about 7 mn, add some flour (about couple teaspoons) and cook for about 2 mn. Set aside.
Next I sautee sliced unsmoked bacon (lardons) till brown and crisp. Set aside. Pour off the rendered fat and keep about 2 table spoons in the pan. Saute about 2 lbs of cubed beef (I use a mixture of beef for stew and brisket) by batch not to overcrowd the pan and for the beef to brown evenly. Put back the onions, carrots, bacon in the pan. Pour some red wine to almost cover the meat & vegetable mixture, add about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, a little sugar to taste, add some thyme and laurel leaves, mix well and let boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Stir once in a while.
Meanwhile sautee button mushrooms in butter, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Sautee peeled pearl onions in butter till caramelized, set aside. About 15 mn before dinner time, add the mushrooms and pearl onions into the beef stew, and heat till warm through, about 5 to10 mn.
If you wish, sprinkle with some parsley as garnish before serving piping hot.
This is delicious with warm French bread.
